


Watching over you

by darkoraclegirl



Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Caretaking, Tiny Loki, Will Add More Later, baby Loki
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-09
Updated: 2017-02-04
Packaged: 2018-09-15 22:23:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 38,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9260420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darkoraclegirl/pseuds/darkoraclegirl
Summary: A young woman finds a tiny, very tiny infant on the windowsill of her apartment on the hottest day of Summer. She's no idea where he came from or how she's going to take care of him but she's going to try.Odin's messed up this time. His latest punishment for Loki has resulted in Loki being lost and he has no way to track Loki so long as his punishment is in effect. Asgard and the Avengers are now searching for Loki, where ever he may be.Loki has no memory of his life before waking up in this woman's apartment. Seemingly powerless and with no choice but to place his life in this woman's hands his future is unsure. After all what can he do as a tiny baby with now idea as to who he is and where he came from? All he knows is that this woman now serves his needs and will protect him from harm.





	1. Chapter 1

The AC in her apartment had been broken all day and she'd just opened her window to stick her head out for some fresh air. It had been a recorded breaking hot day and she'd been struggling to stay cool all day. What she hadn't expected was to find a very tiny infant on her windowsill.

The infant was male and could easily fit into her palm if he curled up into a ball. He had short black hair and very pale skin. That was also the point she noticed he was struggling to breath.

Gently she picked him up into her hands and carried him inside. Finding a bowl and setting him in it before getting a cool damp cloth and dabbing his little body with it while using her free hand to look up what she should do.

Most information she found was all about taking care of normal sized babies in this position. Not ones that fit into one hand when curled up. So she was left to guess what would or wouldn't work.

Running an ice cube over his body gave her a scare when his skin started turning dark blue and raised markings began to cover his body.

*.*

It took her all night but the little baby boy was breathing normally now and seemed to be having a peaceful sleep. She wondered where he'd come from and how he came to be. How could such a tiny baby exist? And how the hell did he end up on her windowsill?

The fire escape was outside her bedroom window, not the living room one. So there was no way he could've been left there unless the person flew. And who the hell leaves babies outside of apartment windows?

' _The poor thing could've fallen to his death._ ' She thought to herself.

A small noise drew her eyes to the bowl where the baby had just woken up and was staring at her with large confused green eyes.

"Oh good, you've woken up. I was worried I hadn't cooled you off enough." She smiled down at him.

The baby looked around, seeming to take in the room with eyes that suggested more intelligence that what a child as young as him should have.

"You can't be more then a few months old. Where ever did you come from little man?" She asked herself.

The baby started to crawl out of the bowl and almost fell off the table. Luckily for him she had good reflexes and managed to caught him before he ended up on the floor.

"Careful!" She cried before bringing him to her chest. She noticed he was trembling and he clung to her shirt and hid his face in it. "There there little one. You're safe now. I have you and I won't let anything happen to you."

' _What am I thinking? I can't look after a baby! And I certainly can't look after one this size. I'm a student for crying out loud._ ' She then took a look at the baby boy now looking up at her with slightly scared green eyes full of unshed tears and a slight pout to his trembling bottom lip. ' _But look at him. I don't think there's anyone in the world who could look after him any better then I can. He needs me and some how we were brought together. I have to be the one to look after him._ '

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

**Baby Boy's POV**

 

It have been a shock to wake up in a bowl in a strange place with a woman staring down at him with a relieved smile on her face. She sounded happy about him being awake and alive, but just as confused as to how he got there as he was.

She had shoulder length black hair with light blue bangs, soft warm jade green eyes. Her skin was just on the edge of being sun kissed and her figure was slim and modest.

Figuring that he should move away from her, given the size difference and not know her intentions for him. But when he crawled over the edge of the bowl, his eyes on her to make sure that she didn't do anything to stop him he found himself falling. Seemed he'd crawled over to the edge of the table.

But before he could fall further then the top of the table her hand had grabbed him out of mid air and brought him to her chest. She said somethings but all he could do was cling to her and try not to cry.

' _This body is so weak and frail! That fall could have killed me had this woman not caught me. But who is she and why am I here? Who am I for that matter? Why can't I remember anything before now?_ ' He thought angrily.

"There there little one. You're safe now. I have you and I won't let anything happen to you." She told him.

He lifted his face to look at her and thought. ' _I'm powerless like this. But this woman can care for me until I can find a way to become stronger. And she clearly wishes to serve as my caretaker. I shall use her._ ' When he noticed her look of uncertainly, clearly towards looking after him he carefully schooled his features to look more like a sad, scared infant in need of her care and help. And she quickly caved. He could see it in the way her eyes softened and she began to run a finger over his hair in a soothing fashioned.

' _Pathetic how easily this woman falls for my tricks. I will have her wrapped around my fingers for the rest of her life. I shall rule her and she will do nothing but my bidding. She will spend the rest of her days tending to my needs and at my beck and call untill she,'_ He let out a yawn before his eyes slid shut and his head came to rest on her chest as he dozed off.


	2. Naming the tiny baby and Asgard's searching

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This story is still on going to keep an eye out for new chapters.

"Is that a baby I hear in the back ground Mara?"

Said woman sighed over the phone. "It's a long story Kelly. Can I call you back?"

"Yeah sure but you owe me that story." Kelly told her before hanging up.

The woman, Mara sighed again before going into the bed room and picking up the baby boy in her hand, checking his hand made cloth diaper that she'd been forced to make as no normal diaper could fit his tiny bottom. Finding it clean she almost groaned.

"Are you hungry again? I know babies eat a lot but this is crazy." She grumbled before taking him into the kitchen and making him some mushy bananas to eat. Which he tossed about the room while she tried to get him to eat some. "Are you trying to drive me insane?" She demanded before sighing. "What am I talking about? You're a baby."

Moving him from the, now covered in mushy bananas table she got out a bowl of lukewarm water and gently cleaned him with a face cloth.

"Never have I been more grateful for those parenting classes being forced on me back in high school." Mara sighed as she wrestled the squirming baby back into the cloth diaper. "I still need a name for you. Can't keep calling you baby after all."

A knock on her door surprised Mara and she quickly set the baby into the empty drawer she'd fixed up on the floor for him to use as a crib. "Please don't make any loud noises." She softly begged him before going to her door. Only to get an arm full of curly red hair attached to a woman just five years older then her. "Kelly?"

"Oh come on Mara. I hear a baby in your apartment and you don't think I'll come over to see what's going on? Also I still want that story behind the baby. Now where are they?" Kelly asked as she walked past Mara and spotted the drawer. With a raised brow she walked over and then squealed at the sight of the baby. "Oh my god it's so tiny!"

Mara raced over and picked him up before Kelly had a chance, shielding him from Kelly's grabby hands for fear of him getting crushed in her large chest like all cute things tend to end up when she can get her hands on them.

"Kelly please! You're going to scare him." Mara scolded as she lightly rocked him in her hand.

"Well I can't help it. I've never seen one so small before. Where on Earth did you find him?" Kelly asked before plopping onto the couch.

Mara joined her on the couch, making sure to keep some space between her and her friend. "I just found him on the windowsill the other day. That windowsill." Mara pointed her free hand to the window in question.

"What? But how'd he get there?" Kelly asked, knowing full well just how impossible it would be for anything to get on that sill without wings. "Did you check for wings?"

"He was naked Kelly. I think I would've seen wings when I found him or the hours I've been with him since." Mara sighed. "Do you know how hard it is to make a diaper for a butt that small? Not to mention how to attach it so that it doesn't hurt him. And he is fussy. More so then any baby I've ever heard of. And I looked at youtube for tips and tricks. Even putting on some color baby music video on there for him does nothing."

Kelly shrugged. "That's babies for ya. They're all different and there for you can't always count on the same things to work on them as they do on others." She reasoned.

"Yeah I know." Mara sighed and leaned back, setting the baby on her stomach and rubbing his back with one finger. Mara smiled as he slowly drifted off to sleep. "Hopefully he stays asleep for now."

"Kept you up all night?" Kelly asked softly.

"Most of it. It's so hard to tell what he wants or needs sometimes. Like before you got here he was crying in his bed. Diaper was fine so I tried to feed him. You can see how that went." Mara waved to the mushy bananas on her table and the few patches that she hadn't cleaned off her shirt.

"Kid's go aim and throwing power from the looks of things." Kelly noted. "So, what's his name?"

Mara shook her head. "Haven't got one for him yet. It's hard to think of one that fits this little guy." Mara carefully covered him with a corner of the blanket she keeps on the couch, not wanting him to get cold but not wanting to over heat him as well.

"Why not use a random name generator then?" Kelly suggested.

Mara rolled her eyes. "Really? A random name generator? That's like drawing a name from a hat. No. No I couldn't doing something that cheap. Also, most of those generators come up with horrible sounding and outdated names."

But Kelly was already on her phone looking at a name generator. "Edward?"

"No." Mara sighed.

"William?" Kelly suggested.

"Then he'd spend the rest of his lift either being Will or Bill. I really don't understand why people who are called William some times get called Bill." Mara shot down.

"Alex?"

"No. God Kelly just stop. There is no name generator that will give this guy a good name." Mara sighed in annoyance.

"God? Oh!" Kelly changed generators. "Khepri?"

"What?"

"It's a god name randomizer. How does Khepri sound?"

"Like an illness." Mara was now questioning why she's friends with Kelly.

"Anhur?"

"Kelly please stop before I have to hurt you." Mara begged.

"Loki."

Mara went to shoot it down when the baby woke up slightly and lifted his head towards Kelly. Mara looked from her friend, who was still looking at her phone before looking back to the baby. "Loki?"

The baby turned sleepy green eyes to her right away, almost as if acknowledging the name.

Mara couldn't help but smile. "Ok then. Loki it is." She then went back to rubbing his back and little Loki fell right back to sleep.

Kelly put away her phone. "Told you generators were the way to go."

Mara just stuck her tongue out at her.

"Anything else I can do while here to help you?" Kelly offered.

"Yeah. Clean up the kitchen." Mara smirked at Kelly, who groaned but went to do it anyway. Let it not be said that when Kelly offers help she goes through with it, even if she would rather do anything but do it.

 

////////////////////////////////////////////////////

**Baby Loki's POV**

 

It never failed to amuse him how he could make her jump with just a simple cry. One little sound and she would be at his side. The drawer she'd made into his bed wasn't what he wanted but he would admit it was comfy enough for him to sleep in. And speaking of sleep he hated how she could easily put him to sleep just by rubbing his back or brushing a finger over his hair. It was the one thing he hated about her.

The reason for his crying this time? He had none other then the fact that he didn't want to be in bed watching some sorry excuse for entertainment. She did the normal check she tends to do when she answers his cries. Check the cloth around his bottom that she hand made for him, made sure he wasn't cold, and then she set him into the small basket that she would put him in to eat and he watched as she mushed up some bananas for him. He wasn't fond of the fruit but it tasted decent enough. thing was he wasn't hungry. So he just batted the spoon she was using to feed him with and sent most of it flying.

She complained about him trying to drive her mad but then brushed it off as being silly. However a knock at the door had her quickly returning him to his bed and begging him not to make a sound.

' _Who does this woman think she is? Ordering me around like that and just abandoning me when ever she wishes._ '

She opened her door and he wondered for a moment if the woman that was on the other side was trying to merge his caretaker with her large chest, given the way the new woman grabbed her and pulled her so tightly against it.

He heard his caretaker address the woman as Kelly before the woman walked past his caretaker and headed right for him. The woman, Kelly made a high pitch noise about how small he was and he was instantly filled with fear that his tiny body would soon be crushed in Kelly's chest.

Never had he been more grateful for his caretaker's protective nature towards him then he was when she scooped him up and held him away from Kelly, scolding her for scaring him.

His caretaker, Mara he believed Kelly called her took him to the couch and sat down with Kelly a cushion or two between them. Mara gently set him down on her stomach and to his annoyance she began rubbing his back. Drowsiness began to take over his body as she rubbed soothing little circles into his back and the smell of her soap and the bananas on her shirt. He tried his hardest to listen to what they were saying but it wasn't long before his eyes shut and he found himself dreaming of blurry imagines and mumbled sounds again. Every now and then Mara's voice could be faintly heard as he dreamt but for the most part he was unaware of what was happening around him.

"Loki."

The word had cut through his dreams and woken him. Turning his head to Kelly he fixed a confused and sleep look at her.

"Loki?" That was Mara and he felt complied to give her his attention.

"Ok then. Loki it is." She smiled before continuing to rub his back.

Just as he started dozing off again he turned over the obvious name in his mind. ' _Loki? Is that what she's calling me now? And why does it feel so right?_ '

 

///////////////////////////////////////////////

**At Avenger HQ**

Tony raised a brow at Thor after he and the rest of the team listened to what he had to tell them. He had returned from Asgard so suddenly that they all knew it had t be something major that brought him back. But what he was telling them sounded so crazy and stupid it belonged in a kids cartoon.

"Your father turned Reindeer Games into a tiny baby with no memories and then lost him? And it's not just he misplaced him in Fairy land. No he lost him and there's a chance that a tiny baby Reindeer Games is some where here on Earth. Anyone else think they've seen this in a cartoon growing up?" Tony asked him.

Thor sighed. "He was to be placed in the care of someone who would help to sooth his anger. None know how he vanished and until my brother's punishment has ended no one in Asgard can find him."

"Until his punishment has ended? How can his punishment end?" Bucky asked.

Thor appeared stumped by that one. "I? I don't know. My father did not say." He admitted.

"Do we even have a possible location we start searching?" Wanda asked.

Thor shook his head. "He could be anywhere in the Nine Realms."

"So we have no idea if he is even on Earth and if he is he's a tiny infant that will be hard enough to find. How are we suppose to look for him?" Steve asked him.

"I don't know. But we must find him. He is small and no longer able to look after himself. If any harm were to befall him I don't know what I would do." Thor told them.

"Well someone out there has a tiny baby. If he on Earth someone's bound to tweet about him, or post him on facebook, or even put him on youtube. I'll have Friday keep an eye out for him." Tony promised Thor, not wanting to see the big guy with that kicked puppy look.

"If he's here will find him Thor." Steve assured him.

Thor sighed. "Thank you my friends. I shall remain with you for the time being, but soon I will have to return to Asgard to check if they have found him."

"And so the hunt for Baby Reindeer Games begins." Tony joked.


	3. Day to day life for Mara and Baby Loki. Also there's Tony.

It had been four months since he'd come into Mara's life and Baby Loki seemed to be getting active day by day and was even crawling around on the floor more often then not. Mara was glad the people who lived in her apartment before her had a child and left those plastic covers in the plugs when they left. Mara had only removed the covers from the plugs she needed for everyday use and kept the devices plugged in at all times.

Kelly had brought over some little toys for Baby Loki to play with and some crayons to color with. Mara was pretty impressed with how good his scribbles were for his age. Kelly also brought over a bunch of different colored rolls of cloth so that Mara would have plenty to make diapers and what not with.

When Baby Loki sneezed Mara started noticing how cold the floor was and set to work making something for him to wear. As Baby Loki tend to like the color green a lot in his drawings Mara made him a green onesie. He really seemed to like it and looked so cute when she would put the hood up on him. Both Mara and Kelly took pictures of him as they cooed over how adorable he looked.

Baby Loki's favorite toy seemed to be a soft stuffed reindeer that was big enough for him to use as a pillow when he would wear himself out. He would try to drag it everywhere across the floor with him and didn't like it when he dropped it while being picked up or when someone would take it from him. Thankfully the toy was well made enough that it could take a beating.

"He's grown so much these last few months. He's almost half the size of a new born now." Mara commented to Kelly as the two watched Baby Loki babbling away to his deer friend.

"That he has. Maybe he'll start teething soon." Kelly suggested.

Mara groaned a little. "I hope it's painless for him. I've seen a lot of women dealing with teething babies and it's not pleasant." She then turned to Kelly. "By the way, thanks for baby sitting while I'm at school. And for the camera. It's nice to look in on him while I'm between classes."

Kelly smiled and waved her off. "It was nothing Mara. I remember the struggles my mom had to go through raising me by herself. And I wasn't as small as him." She nodded to Baby Loki who had just reached over and smacked his deer friend on the nose.

The two women giggled at how cute the scene was.

"Think he'll be ready for a real crib soon?" Kelly asked.

Mara sighed to herself. "Maybe. He's gotten so big and the drawer will soon be too small for him. But all the ones I've looked at look far too big. I don't want him slipping through the bars and falling to the floor. That could kill or at least really hurt him."

"What about custom made?" Kelly suggested.

Mara turned to her with a slightly annoyed look. "Those things are insane in pricing and every quote I got for how long it would take is too long. The earliest someone told me they could finish such a small crib is three months."

"Your kidding right? What the hell could take them so long to build a crib that small?" Kelly asked.

"I have no idea. I mean they are a custom crib building company. You would think building a small one would be easy." Mara sighed before relaxing. "I'm starting to think I sound just buy a toddler bed and build something around the sides to keep from from falling off it."

 

///////////////////////////////////////////////////

**Baby Loki's POV**

Days seemed to pass by quickly for Loki. Then again he did sleep through most of the day as he was 'a growing boy' as Mara put it. He seemed to impress her when he started scribbling with the crayons Kelly had gifted him with and even more so when he began crawling around on the floor across the apartment.

One thing that annoyed him was the day he sneezed and Mara suddenly comment that he must be freezing without clothes. Loki had looked at the floor in confusion as he hadn't felt cold. Sure he felt the warmth of her body, he kind of liked it when she would let him sleep on her. But the floor hadn't felt cold at all. But since all he could do was babble nonsense he could do nothing to protest.

Though when she pulled out the colored cloths and began looking them over he began trying to grab the dark green one. It almost matched the blanket she'd made for him. That had made Mara smile and she quickly set him in the basket she would use when feeding him and began to use the dark green cloth to make an outfit for him.

The outfit covered him from his shoulders to the bottom of his feet with a little hood to cover his head. Both Mara and Kelly had commented on cute he was and took a bunch of pictures. Baby Loki however just liked the feel of it. The cloth was soft against his skin, almost like the toy deer Kelly had given him. For some reason though he didn't like it when Mara and Kelly called it a reindeer. Something about that word annoyed him so in his mind he just called it a deer.

One day Mara packed a bag with large books and other things. She seemed worried and kept looking between him, her clock and the door, mumbling Kelly's name and for her to 'hurry up'. Loki didn't understand what was going on until Kelly arrived and Mara gave him a kiss to the top of his head, running over all the numbers Kelly needed to know and that she would back at a certain time. Then Mara was gone. Ran out the door and left Loki with Kelly. It wasn't the first time Mara had disappeared from Loki's sight so he waited to hear her voice or for her to come back into the room.

But she didn't. He couldn't hear her or seen her anymore. And so he did the only thing that normally would work when she would disappear like that. He started crying. But no matter how hard or loud he cried she didn't return.

Kelly ran over and picked him up, shushing him and telling him that, "It will be alright." and, "She'll be back in a few hours." But it did little to comfort him. He was miserable for the rest of the day until Mara returned. Then he refused to let her be out of his sight and demanded that she hold him until he fell asleep.

Slowly he got use to this and learned she was going to a place called school where she learned important things. Mara once told him that if he ever got big enough he might go to school one day as well. Loki wasn't sure if he liked that idea. Though he did find learning enjoyable he wasn't sure if he wanted to go some place away from Mara and the place he'd come to call home.

Today however seemed to be her day off school and she was sitting on the couch talking to Kelly. While Loki himself was spending time with his 'friend' as Mara and Kelly call it.

' _She is a good servant, deer. Look at all she has made for me and all the work she has done. Her cooking has even gotten better._ ' Loki told his deer.

' ** _And yet she leaves you for that school place and leaves you with that woman. A good servant would never leave their masters side._** ' Deer comment back.

Loki glared at him. ' _Shut up deer! I want a servant that is smart and can do all kinds of things for me._ ' Loki then hit deer on the nose, hearing Mara and Kelly giggle at the action. Knowing he made Mara giggle made a little warm feeling spread in his chest and made him a little happy.

' _Let's go deer. I want to draw and my servant needs a new picture for the fridge. There's too much space still needing filling._ ' Loki though before dragging the deer over to his pile of paper and crayons.

 

////////////////////////

**Tony's lab**

Tony had come back to this one post so many times in the last few weeks trying to decided if he should share it with the others or not. The post was of a baby in a green onesie with a large reindeer plushie. The reason he kept coming back to this post was that the other object in the post showed just how tiny the baby was. And facial recognition identified the baby as Loki.

Reason he hadn't told anyone yet? Baby Loki is just too adorable for words. Even Tony had to admit that in that onesie and with those big green eyes made Tiny Baby Loki look so damn cute.

Tony had tracked where the picture had come from and even had a drone take a short video through the apartment window where Tiny Baby Loki was living to prove that he had the right place. A video that happen to contain said Tiny Baby Loki getting bathed in a large bowl before being redressed and put down to take a nap while his caretaker works through some text books.

The own of the apartment and caretaker of Tiny Baby Loki is a 25 year old woman named Mara Evans. A student at Empire State University. Good grades, no really major things of note in her record that most people, and it seemed she was more of the helpful sort of person then anything else.

And what Tony saw in the video showed a woman who cared a great deal for Tiny Baby Loki. Taking care to make clothes and diapers for him, fix up his bed for his size, use only the right bowls to bathe him in, even rubbing a finger long his back until he fell asleep. Even making sure a stuffed reindeer was sitting next to Tiny Baby Loki's bed. It was the kind of care that a mother or caring sister might take with their child or younger sibling.

Tony toyed with the idea of picking a few trust worth team members and go see just what is happening in the apartment with Tiny Baby Loki.

But for now? Tony was opening tabs about baby stuff and gift baskets for new moms. He was thinking some alcohol would be appreciated by her. After all what new mom doesn't need a pick me up every now and then?


	4. A visit from the Avengers. Well some of them anyway.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter for all my wonderful readers. Thanks for the Kudos and the kind comments, they are very much appreciated. Not a whole lot of Baby Loki in this one but that will be made up for later.

Confused would be one word to describe Mara's mood when she opened her door one afternoon to find a few Avengers in civilian clothing on her doorstep. Well more of an understatement really. She didn't know all of them by name but at their head, holding a large gift basket full of stuff was Tony Stark who was smiling at her.

"It's Mara right? So, where's the tiny Reindeer Games?" Tony asked her.

Mara blinked at him. "What?" She asked.

"He means the tiny baby." The young red headed woman next to him answered.

"Tiny baby? Damn it Kelly! I said not to post any of those pics." Mara grumbled before sighing and letting them in. After all it wasn't like she could really keep them out if they wanted in. She even accepted the gift basket Tony handed to her, glad to see there was some wine in there as she would need a glass when this is over with.

"So, where is he?" Tony asked again.

Mara lead them into the living room where baby Loki was drawing on his papers, a new box of crayons next to his latest work and his reindeer friend sitting next to him. Mara set the basket on her desk and turned around to see the team gathered around baby Loki, some cooing at him and saying how cute he was while others, like Tony had their phones out and were taking pictures. Baby Loki looked around in confusion at each of them.

"Please don't upset Loki. He's been really good about not crying when he doesn't need anything and he can be so hard to sooth sometimes." Mara begged.

"Wait you actually named him Loki?" Tony asked her in amazement.

Mara shrugged. "When Kelly was here she pitched a bunch of names at me for him and he reacted to that one."

Tony started at her for a while before walking over to her. "You don't know then?"

Mara frowned. "Know what?"

Sighing Tony took her into another room, closing the door before speaking again. "That tiny baby you've got there, is the guy who lead a bunch of aliens to attack our world."

Mara stared at him for a moment before shaking her head. "That guy was an adult. This Loki can't be more then almost a year old."

"Trust me I don't understand it either, but it seems the king of Asgard decided to turn him into a small baby and then they lost him." Tony explained.

"If that's true how did he end up on my windowsill?" Mara asked.

"No idea. But right now the only ones who know he's here are everyone in this apartment and that other person you mentioned who posted the picture." Tony told her.

Mara raised a brow. "You haven't told the rest of the Avengers?"

Tony shook his head. "Not yet. After all I haven't seen reason to do so. Though I might tell Thor as the guy is worried sick for his brother."

Mara sighed. "As long as no one upsets Loki or hurts him I don't care who you tell."

Tony gave her a smile before looking around at the room their were in. Clearly it was Mara's bedroom and Tony noticed that, like the living room it wasn't all that big. In fact the whole apartment didn't seem all that big. A one bedroom apartment with a small kitchen and living room. Tony didn't even want to think about how small the bathroom was. "Ok first thing first we need to get you both out of this apartment. Seriously how do you breath in a place this small."

Mara stared at him as if he was mad.

"Lots of room at the tower and if anyone on the team who won't react well to you looking after baby Reindeer Games finds out at least I can tell them you two are being watched. Should keep them off you back."

Mara blinked a few times and went to say something when she suddenly heard Loki start crying.

 

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////

**Baby Loki's POV**

He had no idea who any of these people were that had suddenly appeared around him. Though they gave him as much attention as Kelly had the first time she met him, taking pictures, talking about how cute and tiny he was, some had even picked up some of his drawings and were talking about them. For the most part he tried to ignore them in favor of his latest piece of art, as Mara called it. Lifting his eyes from the paper only when someone called his name for a picture. It was annoying to be interrupted so much but he knew if he just let them take their pictures they would soon grow bored and leave him alone. He did throw a crayon at one of them for trying to touch his deer friend. Everyone laughed at how cute the act had been.

' _More grown ups fusing over me. I wonder if they are friends of Mara's too._ ' Loki wondered as he finished his drawing. Smiling in pride he lifted the picture off the ground and looked around for Mara to show her how much better this one was to all the others he had done.

But he couldn't see her. He looked around, trying to crawl past the group gathered around him but they refused to move.

' _Did she leave? It's not a school day so why would she leave? Kelly's not here either. Did Mara really leave me with these grown ups? I want Mara back. I want Mara!_ ' At this point crying wasn't planned, it was just a reactions to how upset he was not to have Mara around. He cried loudly as fat tears ran down his face, not noticing how the ones around him tried to comfort him.

"What the hell did you guys do to him?"

Loki stopped crying when he heard Mara's shout and held his arms out to her for her to pick him up, crying into her chest as she lightly rubbed his back and told him, "everything will be okay" and "I'm sorry you couldn't see me. I'm here now".

"We didn't do anything. He just started crying after he stopped drawing." One of the Avengers that was unknown to Mara explained.

"I believe he was looking for you and got scared when he couldn't find you." The young red headed woman said.

Mara carefully bent down and collected both Loki's deer friend and the drawing. "There there Loki, I think you've had too much excitement for today. Let's set you down for a nap." She then began humming a light tune as she carried him to bed.

Loki had slowly stopped crying and let out a yawn. Back rubs always made him sleepy and Mara's body heat, the sound of her breathing, her heart beat, and the smell of her always helped sooth him. He almost missed the part where she set him down in his bed and tucked him in.

' _ **You're getting too soft with her. She's your servant and yet you let her order you about like so? you should punish her by staying awake and demanding everything you can!**_ ' Loki's deer friend said.

Loki rolled toward the deer and smacked it's nose as he yawned one final time. ' _No. Sleep now. Punish later._ ' He told the deer before drifting off to sleep.


	5. In the tower and Thor and Loki play together

"So let me get this straight. The Avengers showed up at your door, told you that the baby you have is actually a Norse god who tried to invade the Earth with an alien army, then they kidnapped you both and now you live in the Avengers' tower? Have I got that right?" Kelly asked over the phone.

Mara sighed to herself. "It wasn't all of them and there was no kidnapping involved."

"But you are living in Avengers tower and the baby is a Norse god, right?" Kelly pressed.

"Yes to the tower and not really to the god. Loki's just an alien really." Mara turned to look at said person who was staring up at Thor in confusion as Thor tried to play with him. "Really Kelly I barely understand what is going on now a days. But it seems so long as little Loki is being watched by the AI of this tower I'll be able to continue looking after him."

The elevator door opened and Tony walked off it. He started heading towards her and opened his mouth to speak.

"For crying out loud Tony I am staying in school, Kelly will continue to watch Loki while I am away, and no I don't want you paying for everything! Stop trying to talk me into it." Mara growled at him.

"Oh come on. I had a great speech all set to convince you otherwise." Tony whined.

"Get off this floor." Mara growled.

"It's my tower." Tony defended before dashing back into the elevator when Mara threw a shoe at him.

"Tell me what's wrong with him paying for shit?" Kelly asked.

Mara sighed and took a seat. "You know how independent I like to be. I can barely stand letting him give Loki and I this whole floor of the tower to live in."

"Mara Mara Mara. What am I going to do with you?" Kelly sighs. "When a rich guy offers to pay for you and the child in your care you say yes every time. Unless he wants you to degrade yourself for his pleasure or the pleasure of his mates. Then you kick him in the nuts and run like hell."

Mara gave a laugh at that. "Sometimes I worry about you Kelly."

"Save your worrying for the fact that you've been taking care of an alien baby." Kelly told her.

"Did I forget to mention he was an adult that got transformed into a baby and that he's also a prince? Second in line for the throne if I heard right." Mara asked before holding the phone away from her ear as Kelly flipped.

"What!? You never said any of that! A fricken alien prince?" Kelly shouted.

"And now I am deaf in one ear." Mara moaned, rubbing her injured ear with her free hand.

 

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**Baby Loki's POV**

Loki had been surprised when Mara moved them out of their home and into this strange new place. But when she took him to the window and let him look out at the city Loki couldn't help but feel as though he'd looked down at the city from this height before. Shaking it off he set to work exploring his new surroundings before Mare would announce it was nap time or meal time.

The carpet in the main sitting area was really soft against Loki's hands, almost like his clothes but different. The floor was shiny and almost let Loki see himself when he would look down at it. The chairs and couches were made of something that felt familiar to Loki but he couldn't place what. The whole place was new yet some how he felt as though he'd been there before.

Then the big blond man came to their floor and the man's attention had gone right to Loki. Having that man, Thor Loki thinks he heard the man introduce himself to Mara as try to hold him was one of the worst things Loki had ever felt. Thor's hands were large and clumsy at best. Mara kept trying to correct his hold but Thor just kept brushing her worries off and telling her that he knew how to hold a child. Loki had barely even begun to make himself cry when Mara's temper gave way and she warned Thor that if he didn't hand Loki over she would ban him from their floor as Loki was clearly uncomfortable being held by him. Thor had listened that time and handed Loki to Mara, who then set Loki back on the ground before telling Thor not to try picking Loki up again until he learned to follow directions.

After that Thor had settled for trying to play with Loki on the floor. And that was quite the sight. To Loki Thor was like a mountain and to see someone that big sitting on the floor and toying around with some of Loki's toys in an attempt to entertain him was very odd.

' _Does this oaf really think I'm that simple? Though he does look silly. Wonder what else I could get him to do. Where did Mara put the finger paints?_ ' Loki wondered before looking around and spotting the some tubs of finger pant on the coffee table. Crawling over to the table Loki tried to reach for them but, as always fell short of the edge.

Luckily for Loki Thor noticed what he was after and brought the tubs of paint down to Loki's level, even opened them to see what was inside.

Mara had spotted the paints being opened and quickly brought some papers over to Loki while continuing to talk to Kelly about the changes that had happened. It was only when Mara had turned away that Loki dipped his fingers in the paint and started dabbing some onto Thor's arm.

Thor had watched Loki do this for a moment with slightly wide eyes, and for a moment Loki wondered if he was about to get in trouble. But then a grin spread across Thor's face before he dips a finger in the paint and started drawing on his arm as well.

Taking that as permission to continue Loki kept putting paint on Thor where ever he could reach. Which on a guy as big as Thor meant a lot of room to splatter paint across. Loki giggled as he put his whole hand, covered in green paint on Thor's forearm and left a perfect print of his hand. Thor laughed as well at the print.

 

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**Mara's POV some time later**

Talking to Kelly was sometimes more exhausting then trying to pull an all night study with Loki refusing to sleep. But at least her friend was now informed of everything and seemed content with things. Turning to look at what Loki and Thor were up to Mara had to cover her mouth to keep her laughter in. The both of them were covered in different colors of paint and sound asleep on the floor. Thor curled up next to the couch with Loki curled up on his chest almost like a kitten. Mara snapped a few pictures of the sleeping duo before cleaning up the mess they had made together. She would bathe Loki after he woke from his nap.

Smiling down at the two Mara sighed. She was found of baby Loki and really liked looking after him. But it wasn't going to last forever. Thor had explained the punishment to her and that at some point the punishment would end. When that happens Loki will return to his normal self with the memories of his time as a baby.

Would he stay with her when that time came? Would he care for all the time she took looking after him? Would he just leave and she would never see him again? Would he go back to his old ways?

Mara shook her head. "Thor doesn't know what will trigger the end of his punishment. For all I know Loki will grow up here on Earth for a long time before his punishment ends. Best to enjoy it while I can and do right by him." She told herself before going over to one of the chairs and began playing Candy Crush on her phone.


	6. Tony and Thor alone with Baby Loki

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Never leave Tony and Thor alone with a kid.

**Tony's POV**

' _Why did I agree to this again? Oh yeah, it was either this or be stuck all night going over paper work with Pepper. And as much as I love her and spending time alone with her I'd much rather avoid paper work. Pretty sure it was invented just to torment me._ ' Tony thought to himself as he was made to sit through yet another Disney movie with Thor and baby Loki.

It had been a month since Mara moved into the tower with baby Loki in tow and with all the school work that had been piling up recently she was starting to look as if she would go off the deep end from stress at the drop of a hat. So Tony, being the nice guy that he is put together a little girls night out for Mara to destress with. But as the only friend she had, who knew about the whole Loki thing was Kelly Tony had gotten a few of the female Avengers, who were in on secret as well to go with the two girls and help Mara had a good time.

But with Kelly going with Mara that left no baby sitter for Loki. Thor had jumped at the chance to help as well as spend time with Loki, but Mara hadn't been sure about leaving Loki with Thor as the last time she'd trusted him alone with Loki she'd come back to the kitchen in a horrible state. She'd only gone to the bathroom and had asked Thor to fix Loki some cereal for crying outloud! A bowl of dry cereal for him to munch on. Tony had stepped in there, thinking it would be a cake walk to keep the two "gods" out of trouble. What he hadn't expected was a non stop Disney marathon.

' _Paper work almost sounds good right about now._ ' Tony sighed.

Loki, who had been sitting on Thor's lap watching the movies stared to make a fuss and wave his reindeer about.

"What's wrong brother?" Thor asked him.

"Please don't be his diaper." Tony begged as the two got off the couch and checked. "Good, not the diaper." Tony sighed in relief.

Thor frowned in thought before an idea hit him. "Perhaps my brother is hungry." He suggested.

Tony nodded. "Mar did say he hadn't eaten yet. Right short stuff let's move this party to the kitchen."

Thor picked Loki up and followed Tony into the kitchen, setting Loki in the custom made chair Tony had ordered for Loki before he turned to help find something for Loki to eat.

The two heated up a microwave dinner made for toddlers. Some mashed potatoes, peas, and some noddles. Tony questioned why anyone would put those things together in one meal but shrugged it off and tried to feed it to Loki. Who took one look at the spoonful and batted it away, splattering Tony's face with warm mashed potatoes.

Thor laughed and took the spoon. "You must not be doing it right. Allow me to show you how it is done." Thor scooped up a few noddles and moved the spoon towards Loki's mouth, only for Loki to swing his reindeer at the spoon and send it flying across the room as he made a sound of protest. Loki's free hand then shoved the tray off the little table attached to his chair, causing it to splatter all over the floor.

"Guess he doesn't like that combo. Not that I blame him." Tony sighed.

"Maybe he would like some of the cereal Mara gives him. He always seems to eat it when offered." Thor suggested.

"Right the Cheerios." Tony nodded as he went to the cupboard where things like cereal were kept.

Thor got out a small bowl and when Tony filled it he set it before Loki. Who grabbed the bowl and threw it across the room before wailing.

"Cereal out!" Tony shouted over Loki before putting the box down on the counter. "Maybe he just wants a drink."

Thor quickly got Loki a small cup of milk, and ended up wearing it in his lap when Loki batted that away.

Tony brought out his phone and looked at the instructions Mara had forced him to write down. "Cleaning, entertainment, what to do if he rips his reindeer. Ah ha! Feeding." Tony scanned through it before mushing up some bananas and presenting it to Loki. The bowl of mushy bananas ended up on top of Tony's head. "Next." Tony sighed as he turned back to his phone.

For almost an hour this went on as the two men tried their best to find something that Loki would eat and not throw all over them or the room. It wasn't until Tony, ready to try anything at this point made some pudding using a quick mix box he found in the cupboard and gave it to Loki that things settled down.

"You know Mara will be unhappy that you fed him pudding rather then what she said he could have." Thor pointed out.

"He's eating and we aren't wearing it. At this point I will take it as a win." Tony sighed before giving Thor a mop to clean the kitchen while he went to get cleaned up himself. He'd let Thor get cleaned up after he returned to the kitchen.

With Loki fed, more or less and the kitchen cleaned the two men brought Loki back to the living room to resume the movie. But Loki wanted to draw so Thor set him on the floor with his paper and crayons.

"You know, if this is what it's like to have kids then maybe it's not so bad after all." Tony commented. Not that he was planning to have any. Just that he might not hold back from offering to watch Clint's kids if the guy ever wanted to do a date night or something with his wife.

"Agreed. I am looking forward to the day I might have a son or daughter of my own." Thor nodded. Things with Jane had been going well and Thor was very hopeful for his future with her.

Tony glanced at his phone when an alarm went off. "Time to put mini Reindeer Games to bed." He commented as he looked to Loki. Or rather where Loki was suppose to be. "Oh no." Tony twist and turn in his seat, trying to see just where Loki had crawled off to but he was no where to be seen.

Thor had also noticed his brother was missing and shot to his feet. "Loki?" He called.

"We are so dead if he gets out of the tower. Friday lock this floor down and try to get a fix on that baby." Tony ordered.

 

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**Baby Loki's POV**

' _Do they really think I like these shows? I mean sure the music is nice but it's too bright. To many colors and never enough green._ ' Loki wasn't really enjoying the movies and truth be told he was starting to get hungry. ' _Mara would've made food by now. Maybe they need to be reminded that I need food._ ' He thought before he let out a loud cry and didn't stop.

It took a moment but he was soon in the kitchen, in his chair with his table and they set a tray of food down in front of him. He took one look at the tray and didn't like it. Batting away the first attempt with his hand and then using his deer friend on the second while knocking the tray over with his hand. Dry cereal was next and he didn't want it. Milk followed the cereal, as if he was thirsty. Then mushy bananas. While Loki liked sweet things he didn't want bananas. The two tried many different things but Loki just didn't want to eat them. Then, after a long time of crying and knocking their attempts at appeasing him away the one called Tony put a bowl of brown goop in front of Loki. That made Loki stop as he'd never seen the stuff in the bowl before. It smelt nice though. So he dipped a finger in it and tasted it. It was so good! Sweet tasting with a flavor he'd only had once when Mara gave him a slice of cake. Chocolate he thinks she called it. Letting his deer friend drop to the table Loki scooped handfuls into his mouth with pleasure, ignoring what the two before him were saying about Mara not liking that they gave him this wonderful treat.

Afterwards, after seeing that the kitchen was cleaned, they were cleaned, and finally Loki himself was cleaned they returned to the living room to watch more of the movies. But Loki didn't want to sit still and watch. He wanted to move about and do stuff. He wanted to draw. So he fussed about in Thor's lap, reaching for his box of crayons on the coffee table until Thor set him down with them and some paper.

Loki must have drawn for a while before he grew restless. He wanted to do something else now. But the two men were watching the movie.

' _Fine then. Deer and I will go exploring on our own. Let's go deer._ ' Loki thought to himself before he crawled away from the living room.

Mara's door was opened at the end of the hall. He'd never really been in her room while awake and he wanted to see what she had hidden in there. So he took off down the hall wards the room and slipped in, not noticing when he closed the door behind himself with his foot as he cleared the door. There wasn't much in the room, then again Mara didn't own much and often turned down any offer to add to her room from Tony. There was the desk she would spend hours working on school things that she'd had from before Loki had come into her life. Her so call "breakables" that Loki wasn't allowed to touch were up on a shelf high above the desk. There was a TV across from the large bed. A chair in the corner of the room next to a bookcase with a lamp on a table next to the chair. The floor was a wooden one and the walls were a light blue color. All in all, the room felt bare and overly big with so little in it.

Loki wandered around the room, ignoring the calls of his name from somewhere else on the floor. Unlike in his room there wasn't really anything for him to do in this room. His room had toys and some books in areas of the room so that he could do stuff while in there other then nap. But not in here. It was empty and smelt faintly of Mara.

' _Mara. When are you coming home Mara? Is this like when you go to school? But it dark out. You don't like the dark._ ' Loki thought as he crawled towards the bed.

He wanted to climb up it so he could lay down and wait for her, surrounded by her smell. But he couldn't reach it. He could barely touch the edge of the blankets hanging over the edge. Looking around for something to get him up there however he found a basket full of clothes Mara had left. A basket of clothes that smelt strongly of her. Settling for it Loki climbed in and made himself comfy. He would wait right there for her.

 

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**Mara's POV**

The girls night had been just what she needed. Dinner at a nice restaurant, a good movie, some drinks, and even a little fun at a male strip club. By the time the girls called it a night Mara was laughing and smiling like a fool. She thought nothing could bring down her good mood.

That was before the elevator doors opened and she found the living room of her floor tossed and both Thor and Tony looking breathless and panicked with no Loki in sight.

"What the hell happened here?" She asked as she got off the elevator.

"Hey Mar, you're back early." Tony commented with a nervous smile that did nothing to ease Mara's growing concern.

"Early? Tony it's almost 1am. Where's Loki? Did you put him to bed at 9 like I asked you too?" She questioned.

Tony rubbed the back of his head. "Um, yeah there's a small problem with Lokes."

Mara's eyes narrowed slightly. "What problem?"

Thor avoided eye contact with her. "We can't find my brother." He admitted.

Mara let that sink in for a moment. "What?!" She screamed at them. "You lost Loki?"

"He hasn't left this floor. We know that much." Tony told her. "We just haven't found him."

Mara's mind was a whirl of everything bad Loki could've gotten into that could hurt him. Yes Tony had made sure to child proof the place but that didn't mean Loki couldn't find something the two had left out without thinking.

"Mara please, calm yourself. It will do you no good to panic." Thor told her.

"Loki is missing and you tell me not to panic!?" She snapped at him before turning and storming towards her room.

"Where are you going?" Tony asked.

"To put my jacket and purse away so I can search for Loki." She called back. "You two better pray he's unharmed!"

Opening her door Mara tossed her jacket and purse on to the bed and ran a hand down her face. She should've known better then to trust those two with Loki. They are practically kids themselves.

Turning to leave Mara noticed Loki's reindeer on the floor of her room. "What are you doing in here?" She asked as she picked it up. That was when she heard light snoring coming from one corner of her room. Turning she couldn't help but smile when she found Loki asleep in her dirty clothes basket wrapped up in one of her shirts. She pulled out her phone and sent a text to Tony to bring Thor to her room.

When the two entered Mara pointed to Loki with a smile. "Seems he put himself to bed." She commented.

Both Tony and Thor let out sighs of relief.

"How'd he get in here? The door was closed." Tony asked.

Mara shook her head. "No, I forgot to close it when I left. He must've knocked it closed when he came in here." She said as she carefully picked Loki up out of the basket,

He woke up and gave a little yawn before looking up at her.

"Sorry Loki, didn't mean to wake you up but you need to sleep in your own bed. Not my dirty clothes." She said and tried to take her shirt from him.

Loki made a sound of protest and tried to keep the shirt.

"I think he likes it. Maybe it is the smell of you on it?" Thor suggested.

Mara thought on it and figured there to be some truth to it. After all Loki always seems to sleep better whenever Mara let's him doze off on her. With that in mind Mara grabbed a small bear off her bed. "How bout this Loki. You can sleep with Mr. Bear here and I'll take the shirt to clean." She held the bear close enough that he could smell her on it and slowly Loki let the shirt drop from his hands and took the bear. Mara smiled in victory and over how cute Loki was being before taking him to his room and tucking him into bed.

"Goodnight Loki. Sweet dreams." She said as she left the room.

Tony and Thor had been trying to make a get away while she was putting Loki to bed and had almost made it to the elevator.

"Not so fast you two." She called, making the two freeze. "You aren't leaving this floor until you put everything back where it belongs. Hop to it!." She ordered.

The two men groaned but got to work. They had made the mess after all and this was suppose to be Mara's night to relax. No use fighting this and making things worst for both themselves and her.

Mara smiled and sighed. "Not a bad night after all."


	7. Baby Loki saves the day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not a lot for Mara's POV this time.

Mara glared darkly at the man in front of her, having stepped around Tony to give him a piece of her mind after pulling Loki out of the man's arms. Who was this man? Captain America. Seemed someone had forgotten that baby Loki was suppose to be a secret and posted a picture of Tony trying to bathe said baby online. As a result Steve found the picture and was very angry that his team mates had found Loki and not told him about it. The whole reason they had been looking was so that Thor could take Loki back to Asgard so that Odin's punishment could go on as planned. But no, they had decided to keep Loki.

"And another thing Captain," Mara spat the word like it was disgusting to say. "Thor has known about this since I moved into the tower. So clearly he has no intentions of take Loki back to Asgard himself."

Steve turned to Thor. "Is that true?"

Thor nodded. "While my father thinks that being raised for a while with an Asgardian family would be best for my brother I came to realize that it would not work. There are few in Asgard who do not know of the things my brother has done and many who would not treat my brother well because of this. Mara however has taken good care of my brother and hold no ill will towards him. I am certain my father would agree that Mara is the better choice."

"And add to that the fact that while she's here in the tower we have been able to keep an eye on both of them, clearly this is the best place for em." Tony added.

Steve let out a sigh. There was little point in arguing as they had all raised good points. "I just don't think a civilian should be mixed up in this."

"You don't think a," Mara stopped herself and took a deep breath. "Maybe if you looked around you would see that everything that happens involving you lot happens to cause us civilians to get mixed up in it in some way or another. You guys don't exactly fight your battles on an empty battlefield. No, you fight them in the streets, in towns and cities across the world. Open your eyes for once and see the real world for the way it is."

Steve stared at her for a while, turning over her words. She was right. Unless they started taking their fights to other worlds, where no life exists civilian would almost always get caught up in what they were doing. He let out a sigh. "I'm just,"

"Trying to say that someone better equipped should be handling Loki. I understood that. But Loki found his way to me. He depends on me. He gets upset if I'm gone for too long and Kelly isn't there for him. He likes me. And from what I hear you've got a lot of people working for your group that were there during the invasion. I think it's best not to give them a chance to hurt Loki." When Steve went to speak Mara quickly cut him off. "Don't try to tell me that they wouldn't. You have nothing but blind faith in them. Just because they seem to have moved on doesn't mean they've actually done so." Mara adjusted Loki in her arms. "Loki stays with me. End of subject." She then turned and headed for Loki's room. After so much excitement Loki needed to be put down for a nap.

 

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**Baby Loki's POV**

It had all been a rush when the big man with hair the same color as Thor's came out of the elevator. The man had shouted at Tony for a while before storming over and picking Loki up, clearly intending on taking him. But Mara had moved quickly and pulled him out of the man's arms with a very scary look on her face. There was talk of a place called Asgard that the new man wanted to send Loki to but Mara refused and said something about Thor not wanting to take Loki there. It was hard to keep up with what was going on as A) Loki had no idea what they were talking about. and B) Loki had been scared by the man when he'd picked him up and then again when he saw the look Mara was giving the man. Thankfully Mara walked away from the living room and brought Loki to his room.

Loki was then changed into his pajamas and set down in bed with the bear Mara had given him. She assured him that everything was alright and no one was going to take him away from her as she turned on some soft music and rubbed his back. It wasn't long before Loki fell right to sleep.

Loki hadn't wanted to wake up. He'd been dreaming of a golden palace with a big garden. It looked like such a nice place and he wanted to stay in that dream. But his body refused to stay asleep.

There was still light outside his window so Loki knew he hadn't slept long, his stomach grumbling suggested that it had to be lunch time. Or maybe snack time as he couldn't remember if he'd eaten lunch. So he started making noise to let Mara know he was awake. It wasn't long before she appeared and carried him to the kitchen.

"I think some mac and cheese for lunch is in order." She said before heating some up for him.

Loki ate the food once it was placed before him. While he had given Tony and Thor trouble when they fed him it was only because he'd wanted Mara. Things were just better with Mara around. He couldn't explain it.

After he ate everything on his plate Mara had set a slice of chocolate cake before him. Loki was very happy to get some cake after lunch. It was so rare that he got it because Mara didn't want to spoil him. Well that and he also loved her homemade cookies. So hard for him to chose with he liked getting more.

Once lunch was over she filled his cut with juice and set him on the floor with his crayons and paper. She also set down something new for him to play with. Something called Playdough. It was soft and he could make shapes with it either with his hands or the molds that came with it.

Loki spent hours making things with the Playdough and then destroying them. He noticed that if he put two colors together and then squished them some he could make new colors like with his finger paints. It was a lot of fun.

Mara busied herself with school work, every now and then Loki felt her lift her eyes from her papers and books to look at what he was doing before turning back to her work. It was very peaceful and Loki liked moments like this. Since moving into their current home it was hard to get time alone with Mara. And then the man, Steve and the others who hadn't known about Loki and Mara found out they were there and things had gotten scary for a while. But now the two were alone. Loki figured Mara had made everyone leave after she put him to bed. After all it had been a very upsetting time for both of them.

After a while Loki decided it was time for them to do something else. But Mara was so focused on her work and didn't seem like she would stop anytime soon. Wanting to go somewhere with her Loki started to crawl towards her before he stopped. No body else around him crawled and they seemed to move faster then he did. But he was a little nervous about trying to do what they do. If he fell over he could get hurt. So he looked for something he could hold and pull himself with. The foot rest looked about the size for him. So he crawled over and took hold, using it to pull himself onto unsteady legs.

"Now what are you up to?" He heard Mara ask before hearing her stand and walk over to him. "Do you want to try walking?" She asked him.

Loki had heard the word walk before. It was what Mara and the others did to get around. He wanted very much to walk like them.

"Okay then Loki. Give me your hands." Mara carefully removed Loki's hands from the footrest and carefully helped him to turn. "Whenever you're ready."

Moving his legs like Mara does was harder then Loki thought it would be. After all his legs were use to crawling and this was a whole new time of movement. In the end he was more moving side to side as Mara lightly pulled him forward. It wasn't what he had wanted.

"Don't worry Loki, you'll get it soon. We just have to keep working on it." Mara assured him as she lifted him into her arms.

Loki pouted. ' _But I want to walk now. Why won't my legs work like Mara's?_ '

The lights suddenly going out scared Loki and made Mara jump slightly. Neither had noticed how late it was and with no lights on the room was bathed in darkness. Loki clung to Mara as she carefully walked to the kitchen and grabbed the flashlight out of a drawer there. With some light things weren't as scary as they had been, but Mara was still tense.

"Come on Loki. Let's go upstairs and see what's going on." Mara said to him before she walked through a door he'd never been through before.

A long staircase that seemed to go up a really long ways greeted them and Mara started walking up it. Her face set into a hard look that told Loki this wasn't normal, that something was wrong and it worried her. That made Loki worry. Mara never worried about anything. She always knew what to do

After a lot of climbing the two came upon a door and Mara stopped. There was no noise coming from the other side of the door that Loki could hear.

Mara took a breath and pushed open the door, walking through it. The room was tossed and there had clearly been a struggle.

"Mara, get out of here." Tony called before something knocked Mara down and she dropped Loki.

Loki was lucky and landed on a cushion, saving him from harm. But Mara had fallen to the ground, a small cut on her head.

Loki crawled over to her and pushes her face with his hands, but Mara's eyes were shut and she didn't react. he tried again but got the same results.

"What's this? A bitch with a brat? No one said anything about kids being here."

Loki looked up and saw a man in dark colored clothes looking down at him. The man's face was covered so Loki couldn't see it.

"Who cares? We're here for Stark after all."

Loki turned and found three more men dressed the same as the other one over by Tony. One of the men had Tony's arms behind his back and Tony was struggling against the men.

Loki didn't understand what was going on, but he understood that Mara was hurt and the man near him had hurt her. Loki didn't like that man. Nor did he like the other men.

"Hold up. What if that brat is Stark's? Might make some extra cash with we bring him." One of the other men said.

"Good idea. And if not we can always sell the kid." Another said.

The one near Loki bent to pick him up. Loki was not having that. He swung his arms at the man but it seemed to do nothing to stop the man as his hands closed around Loki's waist. In a last ditched effort to not be picked up Loki smacked the man in the chest. And to Loki's amazement the man's top burst into flames.

The man screamed and dropped Loki back onto the cushion before swatting at the flames with his hands.

Loki watched in awe as the man's chest burned before one of the man's friends ran over and knocked the man down, beating at the flames with a blanket or something.

"The kid's a freak. Let's just end the little shit and get out of here." One of the other men ordered.

Loki, taking a chance while the one was on fire and the other was putting his friend out crawled over to the two distracted men and tried to recreate the flames on them. But instead of burning Loki froze one of the mens' leg, causing him to drop to the ground. The remaining one tried to move away from Loki, but he lost his hold on Tony who managed to slam a fist into the guy's face, knocking him out.

From the stairs that Mara had brought Loki up through came Clint and Natasha, who quickly pointed things that Mara had to Loki were bad at the one Loki had set on fire and the one that had been putting him out. The one that was on fire was laying on the ground panting and moaning in pain now that the flames were out. His chest badly burnt.

Loki crawled back over to Mara and let out a whimper when, again she didn't wake when he touched her face.

Natasha knelt down and checked on Mara. "It's okay Loki. She's got an owie but she'll be alright." She assured Loki.

Loki looked to the cut, noticing it was a lot bigger then he had thought it was. Reaching up a hand Loki touched the cut and felt his hand tingle for a moment. When he pulled it away the cut was gone.

Mara gave a soft moan before her eyes slowly blinked open.

"What? What happened?" She asked as she sat up.

Loki crawled into her lap and gave her a tight hug.

"Some men came to kidnap me. You two got caught in the crossfire." Tony explained.

Mara looked around. "But what happened to them?" She asked as she noticed the burns on one guy and the ice around the leg of another.

Tony nodded to Loki. "That would be mini Lokes there. He did that. Also healed your injury." Tony tapped his head to show where Mara had been hurt.

Mara looked down at Loki, who gave a small yawn and snuggled into her as he closed his eyes. For a moment she just stared at him in shock before slowly a smile appeared on her lips. "My little hero."


	8. Loki's first word

Thor started at Loki in amazement as Loki made three blocks float in mid air. "My father said nothing of my brother's magic. I had thought it was sealed."

"Well it's a good thing it wasn't. Otherwise those guys would've take bout mini Lokes and myself off to god only knows where. Not to mention Mar over there would have an ugly scar on her head." Tony commented.

"Drop dead Tony." Mara said with a smile as she watched Loki.

"This could be very bad." Steve commented. "Loki with his magic normally is bad enough, but an infant Loki with magic? Can he even control it at this age?"

Mara glared at him. "Loki has been through more then enough since he came into my care. What happened with those men is the first time he's ever done anything like that. And he clearly only did it to protect himself."

"And you! Let's not forget that he healed you so by rights he was protecting you as well." Tony pointed out.

"Loki has had many chances to use magic in the past but didn't. Clearly having the person he cares about threaten is what brought forth his magic." Natasha reasoned.

"And now?" Steve asked, waving to the floating blocks.

Natasha shrugged. "He knows about it now and there for he's gonna use it."

"Which makes him dangerous." Steve argued.

"Any more dangerous then any of you?" Mara asked flatly.

"We know how to control our powers." Steve defended.

Mara sighed. "Loki does not remember anything before he came to me. There for he didn't remember his magic and most likely doesn't remember any lessons on how to control it. But look at him. Those blocks are steady in the air, they remain close together but never touch each other. He did that with little effort. Meaning he has control over his magic now that he knows about it. So until he burns the tower down kindly stop whining on about this."

Steve gaped at her waving off his concerns like that. This wasn't something simple like a kid that could climb walls. No this was magic. This was something that the team had fought against time and time again.

"If my brother has trouble controlling his magic perhaps we could ask Doctor Strange for help." Thor suggested.

"There! Now will you let this go? Thor has given a salutation for your what if problem."

Steve had never thought about hitting a woman before but Mara was beginning to tempt him.

"Do we know anything about those guys that broke in?" Clint asked, trying to pull the conversation away from Loki before Steve blew his top or something.

"Some nobodies hired by a bigger nobody. Told them if they didn't talk I'd bring mini Lokes down to play with them, they sang like crazy. " Tony answered. "Guy's being arrested for attempted kidnapping and his goons are on their way to jail as we speak."

"Such a smart boy." Mara cooed to Loki as she nuzzled his hair. "Oh, did I tell you guys that Loki tried to walk before the power went out?"

"Already? I thought it'd be a year before he'd start doing that." Tony asked.

"It was so cute. I looked up from my text book to see what he was up to and he was trying his best to pull himself up onto his feet with the footrest. He struggled to get his feet to move when I took his hands and helped him but he did pretty good for his first try." Mara told them.

"And yet he hasn't tried talking? I would've thought that would've been the first thing he tried." Wanda questioned.

"He'll talk when he's ready. Not all kids start doing stuff at the same time." Clint was speaking from personal experience. Having three kids himself he'd gone through a lot of things at different times with each of his kids.

"Well I had best take Loki back to our floor and get him fed. Almost bed time after all." Mara said as she lifted one of her hands and gently pushed the blocks away from Loki, who turned to her and let the blocks fall to the floor. "Come on Loki. Dinner time." She then stood and carried him into the elevator.

 

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

**Baby Loki's POV**

He could make things float now. Sure it wasn't as flashy as making things catch on fire or freezing things, but at least now he could get to things he couldn't. Like when he runs out of paper and Mara's in the kitchen doing dishes. Mara also seemed to like that he could do that as she would smile every time she saw something floating over to him.

Though another thing he liked about making things float was that he could now scare some of the people who visited their floor or even move things on them, making them have to hunt for the object or even fall on their butts if he moved their chair. Loki found he really liked doing this to everyone but Mara. He would never use his power to hurt her or to upset her. He liked Mara happy. So when it came to her he would try to use his new power to do something nice for her. Like make his dish float into the sink when he finished eating. Put his toys away when he wasn't playing with them. Just little things that he knew made things better for her.

Today Kelly was watching over him as Mara had school. While Kelly wasn't Mara Loki had grown to like her. So when it came time for them to play he showed her his power and laughed at the excited look on Kelly's face as she watched some of Loki's toys twirl in the air before them. She even pulled out her phone and put on some music so it looked like the toys were dancing.

The fun however stopped when Kelly's phone began to ring, ending the music.

"Hello this is Kelly Stiles." She greeted before listening. Her smile slowly fell and a scared look replaced it. "What? When did this happen? Is she alright?"

Loki was staring up at her, and when Kelly asked if "she" was alright he knew it had to be about Mara. Something had happened.

"I understand. Thank you for telling me, I'll be right over." She then hung up and grabbed Loki, taking him up to Tony's floor. "Mara's been in an accident! I need to get to get to the hospital."

It wasn't long before they were at the hospital, a place Loki quick came to understand one only goes to when hurt. For there was Mara, in a bed with bandages wrapped around her. And though she gave him a smile Loki could tell she was really hurt.

"Hey Loki. It's okay little guy, I promise it's not as bad as it looks." Mara assured him.

Loki struggled in Kelly's arms until Kelly passed him to Mara, who Loki noticed avoided putting him on her chest or stomach.

"How bad is it?" Kelly asked her.

"Doctor said a broke leg and arm, some cracked ribs, and a few cuts here and there. I was among the lucky ones it seemed." Mara answered.

"What happened?" Tony asked her.

"Some idiot not watching where he was going while driving a trailer hit the gas instead of the brake and slammed into the bus I was on." She answered.

Loki held his hand out to her try to fix her but Mara caught his hand.

"Not this time Loki. This might be beyond your power right now and I don't want you to get hurt trying to help me." She told him.

' _But you're hurt now and I can make it better. Why won't she let me help? Am I not strong enough to help?_ '' Loki wondered. He hadn't thought he wasn't strong before now, but now that she'd suggested this was beyond his power he wondered if he was weaker then he thought. ' _Then I just have to get stronger. Strong enough that I can help Mara and keep her safe just like she does for me. I'll get big and strong and then no one will ever hurt Mara again._ ' He promised himself.

"I'm sorry but I'm going to have to ask you all to leave." A woman who'd appeared in the door way said. She was dressed in a light blue outfit that Loki had seen many other women and men at the hospital wearing.

"But we just got here. Can't we have another 5 minutes?" Kelly asked.

"Sorry, hospital rules say visiting hours are over." The woman told her.

Tony sighed. "When can you leave Mar?"

"Doc said tomorrow if things still look good." She told him.

"Alright then. We'll come get you tomorrow." He nodded.

"I'll stay with Loki tonight on your floor." Kelly told her.

"Come on Lokes, time to go home." Tony said before trying to pick Loki up.

Trying being the right word as Loki refused to let go of Mara's uninjured arm.

"Loki, we can't stay and Mara will be home tomorrow." Kelly tried to reason with him as she tried to remove his hands from Mara's arm.

Loki would not give up his hold. Mara was hurt and in a strange place. He wasn't about to leave her there alone with strange people. She'd be lonely without him.

"Guys stop before you hurt him." Mara scolded before turning to the woman. "Can he stay at least?" She asked.

The woman smiled. "I'll go get a bed for him to sleep in." The woman then turned and left.

"Kelly would you go back to the tower and grab some things for Loki. A blanket, his reindeer and bear, some pajamas,"

"Mara I know what he needs to sleep. You've only run through the list a dozen times with me." Kelly laughed.

Mara chuckled a little. "Yeah, I guess so." She tried to cover up the flinch and small moan of pain she felt but Loki could see it. She then looked down at him. "What am I going to do with you Loki?"

Loki smiled up at her as he hugged her arm. "Mine."

Both Tony and Kelly gaped at Loki, not having expected his first word so soon. Mara however smiled.

"Yes Loki. I'm all your's." She agreed.


	9. Mara doesn't want or need your help!

"Mara just let someone else take care of Loki for a while. You need to rest and heal." Steve ordered.

Mara glared at him as she wiped down Loki after having fed him something a little messy. "I am not a cripple Steve. I can still look after Loki just fine. Also it's just a broke arm and leg plus some cracked ribs. I'm fine."

"The doctor said you needed to rest and take it easy while your bones heal." Steve argued.

"And do you really think I'm going to leave Loki with you? The guy who since he found out wants to just ship Loki off to Asgard and then forget about him even though he knows the people of Asgard won't treat him right. You're more deluded then I thought." Mara told him as she picked Loki up out of his chair with one arm.

Steve sighed. "It's not like I can just pass him off to someone to take to Asgard as Thor's made it clear he wants to allow you to take care of his brother here on Earth. I'm just worried for your health."

"Well I don't need you to worry about me. I know my limits and don't need anyone telling me otherwise." Mara brushed off, trying not to winch as she shifted Loki on her hip and his leg pushed against one of her ribs.

"He isn't your child." Steve told her.

Mara gave him a flat look. "I know he's not my child. You really think I could only be this stubborn by thinking of him as my child? Talk about closed minded. People can care about children without thinking of them as their own." She turned and left the room with Loki.

It wasn't like Mara didn't understand some of Steve's concerns. Asgard was an important ally to Earth and that the king would most likely be angry when he finds out that Earth wasn't giving Loki back but that didn't justify the way that he was acting. People can care for strangers without mentally adopting them after all.

And while she could't say the same for Loki she did not see him as family. This was more like an extended babysitting job without expecting pay at the end. But the way he was acting you would think she was going around telling people that Loki was her son or something.

"Mine?"

Mara looked down at Loki and smiled. "Don't you worry Loki, no ones gonna keep us apart." She promised him.

Loki smiled and snuggled into her chest and shut his eyes.

Mara looked up when she reached Loki's room and stood there for a moment before sighing.

"Need a hand?" Steve asked, trying to keep the amusement out of his voice as he had followed Mara to Loki's closed bedroom door.

"Smug jerk." Mara mumbled. "Just open the door before I put you on diaper washing duty."

/////////////////////////////////////////////////

**Baby Loki's POV**

Though her abilities were limited with her arm and leg wrapped up the way they were Mara would always turn down most offers for help. Didn't matter how small the task was she wanted to do it all by herself. But that didn't stop anyone from trying to help her. Like Loki would used his power to make things move to try to help her. Problem was he would get tired easily from using his power so much and sometimes fall asleep while moving something, causing it to fall to the floor or tip over. Mara always just smiled at him for his attempts and some times told him that he shouldn't do it, but Loki wanted to help her. Anyone else that tried to help however she would get made at.

"I've got this!" Mara growled at Thor who had reached for the bag of flour she was trying to open.

"Mara why do you fight us when we try to help?" He asked her.

"Because I'm not helpless Thor. You want to help, go save some kitty from a tree or something as your help is not needed here." Mara said as she sat the bag between her legs and tried a different way to open it.

"Just let me get it started for you." Thor tried again.

' _Should do that. Mara's gonna get even madder at you Thor._ ' Loki thought as he watched what was happening from his chair with a cup of milk.

"Why do you go take a flying leap?"

Thor was clearly getting frustrated with Mara and her stubbornness. He reached for the bag again, this time closing a hand around it and started to pull it away from Mara.

"Thor I don't need your help!" She shouted as she tried to pull the bag back.

What happened, as Loki expected it to was the bag ripped and a part of the kitchen was covered in white powder along with Mara and Thor.

"Damn it Thor I told you I didn't need your help! Now look at the mess you made." Mara shouted, louder then she had when Thor had taken the bag.

"You were clearly not going to get it open with one hand. You need someone here to help with things like this." Thor shouted back.

"I don't need anyone's help! Why can't you people get it through your heads?" Mara took a breath and glared at Thor. "Get off my floor. I have to clean this mess up now and then go get more flour." Mara went to walk past Thor but he stopped her.

"No, I will clean this up and have someone else go get more flour. You should clean yourself up." He told her.

Mara's good hand flew through the air so fast Loki almost missed the movement before it slammed into Thor's face. However only Mara seemed to be hurt by it.

"God damn it!" She cried as she hugged her newly injured hand to her chest.

Thor let out a sigh of annoyance and ran a hand down his face.

' _Poor Mara. Maybe I should've tried to help get the bag opened. Least she might not have noticed if I had helped._ ' Loki stretched out his hands to Mara, trying to get her attention. While he wasn't allowed to try to fix her arm or leg Loki could at least try to fix he hand for her. 

"You are, without a doubt the most difficult woman I have ever met." Thor sighed.

Mara glared at him. "Then go back to Asgard." She spat.

"What's going on here?" Steve asked as he entered the room.

Loki sighed and sat back in his chair. He knew there was no way Mara would notice him reaching for her now that he was there. ' _This is getting bad. I've never seen Mara this mad before._ ' Though Loki had seen her angry before this was a whole new level of anger and it scared him a little.

"Oh for the love of," Mara groaned. "Will you both kindly disappear?! I don't need your help nor do I want it."

Steve took a look around. "The state of the kitchen saids otherwise."

"That's because of Thor. He's the one who grabbed the flour when I clearly told him I didn't need his help." Mara shouted.

"You would never have opened it without help. And you are the one who grabbed it and caused it to rip." Thor shouted back.

"You should learn to respect a woman's wish to do things herself!" Mara fired back.

"If that woman can do it herself I will!"

"Both of you stop fighting!" Steve ordered.

Loki watched as Mara glared at the two men before her. Thor was clearly trying to push away his anger with what happened and Steve looked like he was trying to work out how to deal with this.

"Loki and I are moving back to my apartment." Mara announced.

While Loki had liked the small apartment he liked the open space of the tower more. He had more room to move around and play in.

"That is not happening Mara." Steve told her.

"You can't force me to live here." Mara told him.

"No but Loki is not leaving this tower. We can't allow him to be lose in the city."

Loki knew that was the wrong thing for Steve to say, even if he didn't understand why it was such a bad idea for him to be outside the tower.

"He's a baby! He hasn't done anything wrong since he became a baby and I highly doubt he will start just because he leaved this damn place. Whatever the hell those bastards in Asgard did to him in the past is most likely what caused everything that he did before. But that is in the past." Mara growled.

"That doesn't change the fact that it happened." Steve argued.

"And what the fuck do you think bringing it repeatedly is going to do? A person can't changed if they are never allowed to move beyond what happened in the past." Mara shot back.

Loki was very confused now. This wasn't the first time he heard something about his "past" and it was clear something he did back then had been very bad. But he didn't remember doing anything wrong. And while many of the group Steve was apart of seemed to keep bring it up and being mad about it Mara always brushed it off or defended Loki like she was now. Loki really wished during these times that he could remember this past. Then maybe he could fix it, or at least make everyone less mad at him.

"Besides Captain," Loki flinched at Mara's use of the word Captain. As she hadn't called Steve that in a long time. "if you look at your team mates you'll see there's a long list of past mistakes and bad choices that lead to a lot of pain and suffering. So stop acting like your group are so clean and innocent."

Steve appeared to deflate at that. Clearly Mara had made her point and there wasn't anything Steve could say to change it.

"Please, do not take my brother away." Thor plead.

Mara sighed, some of the anger leaving her. "Fine. We won't leave. But I still want you both off our floor."

Thor nodded and took hold of Steve's arm, guiding him to the elevator. Mara dropped into a chair and held her head in her one hand. She just sat like that for a while and Loki watched her, deep in thought.

' _Poor Mara. Why don't they listen to her? And why does she not like having people help her? She let's Kelly help her after all. Is it cause they are men? Does Mara only let women help her? No, that can't be right as she won't let Natasha or Wanda help her. I wish I was bigger, then maybe I could help her and maybe she'd let me. She likes it when I put my dishes in the sink or put my toys in their box. So maybe she'd let me help. But I can't help until I grow up. Why can't I grow faster?_ '

Mara left out a heavy sigh and stood. "Where'd I leave the broom?" She asked herself before going to the closet that held the broom and dustbin.


	10. The secret's out to Asgard

Mara couldn't believe it. Steve was forcing her to talk to a therapist because apparently it isn't normal to have such a strong dislike of people helping you. And worst yet he'd gotten the others behind him on this one. Though their worries seemed a bit more towards her anger one day causing her to lash out at Loki. She would never hurt Loki but could see why they would think that. But she refused to leave Loki with one of them while she talked to the therapist. Hell she'd just spend the whole time wondering what Loki was doing.

"Mara, you're being silent again." The doctor said pulling Mara out of her thoughts.

"I really have no idea why I am here. It's not like there aren't other people out there that don't want help from others." Mara shrugged.

"That is true." The doctor nodded. "But I saw the footage from the kitchen. There is not wanting help and then there is what happened in the kitchen. The bag of flour wasn't the only explosion in the kitchen from what I could see."

Mara sighed. She wasn't dumb enough to think that what happened in the kitchen didn't look bad. Hell she looked back on what she did and knew she went over the top. "I've been under stress lately. Thought I had a handle on it but I guess not."

The doctor sighed. "Mara, I can tell you are lying. And very poorly at that. If you want all of them to stop bugging you about this you need to be honest with me."

Be honest with a strange doctor? That wasn't something Mara felt comfortable with.

The doctor opened a file she had under her notebook and looked it over. "According to this you were a victim of abuse?"

Mara flinched. The memory of back then was like a slap to the face sometimes.

"Tell me about then." The doctor prodded.

"What's to tell? Foster father was a jerk who liked to hit me. Guy had a short fuse in his house but to the public was the nicest guy around." Mara waved off.

"No one believed you when you tried to get help I'm guessing."

Mara snorted. "Not like they couldn't see my injuries back then. Most of the time I just got yelled at for lying or back handed. Even the police didn't seem to think there was anything wrong. All because he never touched me in public, nor near any windows."

"So you stopped asking for help?"

"What choice did I have? People wouldn't listen to me and sometimes I just got hurt more for it." Mara sighed.

"You were, what? 6 at the time this happened?"

"No, I was 7. Parents died only two years before I ended up with him in a car crash. Still remember the look of their bodies as I sat in the back seat, my right leg pinned cause of how the car warped. No kid should see something like that. Least of all at 5 years old." Mara tucked her one good leg under herself, trying to get comfy.

"How did you get away?"

"There was this man. He came from out of town and was very friendly towards everyone. He saw me with my bruises and tried to get me to tell him what happened. But by then I didn't want to talk about it. So he left. Few days later however my foster father was arrested for child abuse and taken away. And there was that man again. He had me get into his red car and drove me to a new foster home. A kind elderly couple, still young enough to look after a child. He promised me they would take good care of me before he left. Never did get his name." Mara answered.

"So you got lucky with this stranger?"

Mara nodded.

"But your foster father wasn't the cause of all of this. Tell me what was. What made you hate being helped so much?"

Mara sighed. She wanted this to be over already but knew, even if she did give the doctor what she was asking for it would only be the beginning. She looked down at Loki, watched him build with his playdough for a moment. "I got into an accident when I was 14. I could barely get around on my own, barely do anything on my own while my body recovered. My foster family had to do everything for me. i could see the strain that set in after the first month. Their old bodies just weren't keeping up with looking after me. They tried their best to hide it you know. To keep me in the dark how tired they got. How sore their bodies were at the end of the day. I tried to do more for myself and just made thing worst for them. I remember they both got really sick but kept on looking after me themselves. They could've gotten a nurse to look after me while they rested and recovered, but they didn't. The just kept looking after me."

"Sounds like they really cared about you."

"That was the problem. A month after I recovered they both passed away. Everyone told me it was just their time, but I knew better. I knew that they died because they had over stressed their bodies looking after me." Mara put her head in her good hand and just started at Loki.

"And you decided that you wouldn't allow that to happen again. That, no matter how badly you were hurt you wouldn't allow others to hurt themselves looking after you."

Mara nodded. "I don't mind some help when I am well. But once I'm hurt like I am now I just don't want anyone to take care of me. I don't want to be at fault for another life being lost just because I can't do anything for myself."

"Then why did you not simply explain this to the others?"

"It's not something I like talking about. Makes me feel more helpless when I do admit to it." Mara watched as the doctor wrote something down.

"I think this is a good start Mara. But I want you to try to let people help you. At least when it comes to the baby."

Mara sighed. She knows she should let people help her with Loki at least. With only one good leg and arm she can't really do things for Loki as well as she use to. And she knew Loki was worried about her as well. "No promises doc."

The doctor smiled at her. "That's fine Mara. Just try."

 

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

**Baby Loki's POV**

Loki watched as Mara glared at both Steve and Clint whom after Mara had asked for their help in making dinner for both herself and Loki had taken over all the cooking and wouldn't let her do a single thing.

"I asked you to help me. I didn't agree to let you take over everything." Mara growled. "Now either let me do some of the work or get off this floor."

The two men looked at each other before Steve handed over the spatula to Mara and stepping away from the pan.

"Sorry." Steve mumbled before he went to help Clint with cutting things.

Loki smiled at Mara. He'd enjoyed watching her make Steve back away like that. Steve wasn't a little guy either so it made it all the more amusing watching a woman as short as Mara make someone of his size back away like a scolded child.

"You guys make me talk to a doctor because I won't let you help me and when I finally do let you help you take over. That's not how this is suppose to work people. This isn't a rip the bandage off kind of thing." Mara told them.

"Yes well we just care that much about you that we don't always think." Clint tried.

Mara gave him a flat look and Loki leaned forward a little to hear what she was going to say to him.

"That was so weak I'm tempted to take this spatula to your backside."

Clint actually traded spots with Steve so he was further from Mara. Loki giggled at that.

"Wouldn't be laughing if he knew what a hit from that feels like." Clint said.

"Don't go getting mad at him just because he finds idiots funny." Mara smiled. "And speaking of idiots,"

"What?" Tony asked as he entered the kitchen, causing Clint and Steve to laugh. "I missed the joke didn't I?"

"Tony in this case you are the joke." Mara told him.

"Now now, don't be mean." Tony said as he walked over to Loki. "After all it's mostly because of me you still get to keep this little guy."

Loki saw Mara roll her eyes. Turning to Tony Loki reached out his hand and touched Tony's with his fingers, making Tony jump away when he got zapped.

Mara chuckled. "Oh. Did I forget to tell you he's learned some new magic tricks?"

Loki just gave Tony a smile when Tony glared down at him while rubbing his hand.

"And here I thought there was only one Sparky here." Tony mumbled before turning to Mara. "Found some kids movies mini Lokes might like, got them lined up on the tv for later."

"Thank you. I don't think he liked some of the others but hopefully these ones are more to his liking." Mara said as she turned back to the pan.

"What kid doesn't like colorful shows about animals and aliens? Bet he does like them but he pretends that he doesn't." Tony said as he looked back at Loki.

"Whatever. Dinner first then we'll test the movies on him." Mara waved off.

' _Ugh, more of those shows? Why does he always tries to make me like them? There's nothing interesting about them other then some of the music. And the shows are so pointless. It's all the same things over and over again._ ' Loki really wished Tony would stop finding all these movies for him. It was bad enough watching Disney with Thor and Tony the first night Mara left him alone with them. But he would suffer through these ones, for Mara's sake. He just prayed that there wouldn't be anymore of that annoying yellow square with brown pants. How anyone enjoyed something that annoying was beyond Loki's understanding.

"Mine." Loki said to get Mara's attention before making drinking motions.

Mara smiled and left the stove to get Loki a drink, grabbing him a small bottle of apple juice from the fridge. "Here you go." She said as she opened it and set it before him.

"He really likes calling you that." Clint commented.

Mara chuckled. "Yeah he does. I think it's cute though."

"And that is what makes you strange." Clint shook his head.

"Any stranger then the rest of you?" Mara questioned.

' _Well I think you're normal Mara. No better then normal! You're better then any of them._ ' Loki ignored the voice in his head that he knew to be Deer telling him to stop thinking like that. He didn't know why Deer was so against Mara and Loki liking her. Mara made things better for Loki and she always smiled at him. How could someone as nice to him as Mara be bad?

"My friends, I fear I bring bad news." Thor said as he entered the kitchen.

"What news?" Steve asked.

Thor let out a heavy sigh. "While my father could not find Loki it seemed he grew suspicious of my behavior as of late. As such he has been watching me even when I come to Midgard."

"So then he knows about Loki?" Steve asked.

"I fear so. He is very angry with me for keeping this from him and demands that both my brother and his caretaker be brought to Asgard." Thor gave Mara an apologetic look.

"And if I refuse to take Loki anywhere near Asgard?" Mara asked.

"Then he will send men to bring the both of you by force. I am sorry Mara."

Everyone watched Mara to see what she would do or say. For a moment it looked like she was going to start yelling. But then she sighed.

"We all knew this was a possibility. And there's clearly no choice but to go ahead and go to Asgard. But not tonight." Mara cut Thor off before he could say anything. "Your father may be the king of Asgard but I refused to let him disrupt Loki's bedtime regardless of his reasons."

Thor held his hands up, clearly not wanting to fight with Mara.

"Tony will you please stir the pan! I can smell it starting to burn from here." Mara said.

Tony hurried over to the pan and did as she asked. "So what's your plan?" He asked her.

"Haven't got one. But I'll be damned if anyone in Asgard thinks they can take Loki from me. He is staying right where he is even if I have to fight Asgard to make it so." Mara answered.

"Now that's a fight Asgard is bound to lose." Clint said to Steve.

' _We're going to Asgard? But I thought Mara didn't want me to go there. And why does Thor's father want us there so badly? Does this have to do with that past everyone talks about? I don't want to leave Mara. She needs me and I need her._ ' Loki then looked at Mara and saw her mind turning over many thoughts as she took a seat at the table next to him. ' _Mara will think of something. Mara always knows what to do when people want to take me away from her. And Mara is scary when she gets mad. Anyone that tried to take me will run away when they see her angry. I wonder what Asgard looks like. Is it far from here?_ '

Mara turned to Loki and gave him a smile. "Don't you worry Loki. No ones going to take you from me. I'm your's after all and you are mine."

Somehow hearing her say that he's her's made something inside Loki very happy. And whatever that something was it completely blocked out Deer's voice for the first time in months.


	11. Asgard and trouble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First thing I want to do is say sorry to everyone for the wait on this chapter. A friend of mine got me hooked on the 2010 animated movie Firebreather and I have had trouble thinking of anything but it for the last few day. Totally recommend it if you like animated movies. Also have a story now out for Firebreather if you want to check it out as well. But that's up to you.
> 
> When you see this: *.* It means time skip. I know I didn't do it before and I'm sorry if it brought any confusion.  
> Also sorry for so little of Baby Loki's POV. Wasn't sure where else to go with it for this chapter.

"I assure you my brother will not need all of this in Asgard." Thor commented when he saw what all Mara was packing. "Everything you both need while we are in Asgard will be given to you."

"Thor, while I am sure that is true I would feel better having the stuff myself. Now where are the wipes?" Mara told him as she searched for said object.

"Hey what," Tony stopped talking when he saw the bags Mara was pack. "And I thought I packed too much for a trip. What did you pack baby Reindeer Game's whole room in those?"

Mara turned to him then looked to the bags she had already packed. The volume of it all just now hitting her. "Oh? I guess I am over packed for him. But I just don't want to need something for Loki just to find I left it behind."

"Understandable but you do know you don't have that many arms nor the strength to carry all that. And I highly doubt you'll get anyone else to carry them." Tony pointed out.

Mara sighed. He was right. She was over packed and there was no way she could ever bring all of them.

"I'll get Pepper. She'll be able to help you sort out what you need and what you can use in place of something else." Tony turned and got on his phone.

"Thanks." Mara called after him. "I feel like such an idiot." She sighed.

"You just care a great deal for my brother. There is nothing wrong with that." Thor told her.

Mara started to unpack one of the bags, trying to remember just what she thought all of it was a good idea in the first place.

*.*

With Pepper's help Mara had managed to cut back the number of bags to two. A suitcase and a diaper bag. And after chasing down Loki, who while still not fully walking had gotten very good at crawling fast and hiding she was ready to go to Asgard with Thor.

"You are sure that the Bifrost won't make Loki sick?" Mara questioned for the third time.

"Both you and my brother will be fine."

Mara could tell Thor was getting tired of answering the same questions over and over again but he had no right to complain. After all her questions were for Loki's safety and health.

"Alright. Guess we better get going." Mara sighed as she hugged Loki to her chest, not wanting to risk losing him along the way.

There was a flash of multi colored lights, a feeling of being pulled upwards, and the rush of what felt like air around them but it soon cleared.

Loki let out a scared whimper and Mara glared at Thor. Though she didn't say anything, just let her disapproving look speak how mad she was about Loki getting scared by something he said wouldn't bother Loki.

Thor gave her a small smile and guided her away from the bifrost. Feeling it best to get her to his father rather then give her anger a chance to get the better of her. Along the way he tried pointing out things that he thought would interest her along the way to the palace but Mara seemed to find them dull and focused more on Loki.

*.*

"What do you mean he suddenly can't see us?" Mara demanded of Thor.

Thor had left Mara and Loki in his wing of the palace while he went to see his father and had come back with news that his father had been called away for a meeting.

"He is the king and thus has other duties. I assure you that he will see you and my brother as soon as he is able to." Thor promised.

Mara still wasn't happy with this. "Loki is suppose to be his son and yet his son isn't important enough for him to meet with us as he said he would? Or to at least give us this news himself? Some father you got there."

Thor glared at her. "Watch how you speak of my father."

"I will not ignore a father that is careless enough to lose one of his sons after turning them into a helpless baby! I will not let it go when a father chooses duty over family! Nor will I let it go when a father does nothing while his people look down on one of his sons!" Mara snapped, glad Loki was too busy drawing to care what was going on around him.

Thor blinked at her. "Why would you think that my father does nothing when one of his sons is looked down upon?"

"Oh please Thor I've seen the way your people looked at Loki as we past them. Their smug smiles and mocking looks. I've even heard a few who thought they couldn't be seen behind the door talking about how this is less of a punishment a disgrace like Loki deserves. How they can't understand why your father, or even you for that matter bothers with such a useless thing as Loki. And those were just the kinder of comments they were making about him."

Thor had heard something close to those comments before but he hadn't really paid them any attention as he was use to people making jokes regarding Loki. But not that he thought about it, maybe they weren't jokes to be laughed at after all.

"I might be the outsider here Thor but I know bullying when I see it. And I can tell you for a fact that those people meant every word about how useless Loki is. About how much of an embarrassment he is to your family. About how they wish he would suffer worst for the things he's done. They don't want to see him redeemed Thor. They want to see him hurt and killed for what he's done. And I've only been here two hours."

Thor knew that some had been outraged by Loki's current punishment. Some had even said out loud that he should've been killed for what he's done. Even his own friends had commented that Loki's punishment was all wrong for him. But Thor had, as always brushed those comments off and trusted his father to know the right thing to do. Even though lately he'd been questioning if his father was as wise as he'd always appeared.

A knock on the door of the room halted any further conversation between the two. "Enter." Thor called. Thor was happy to see his friends entered the room. "My friends, what brings you here?"

"We wanted to see your brother and the mortal he's been in the care of. I take it this is she?" Fandral answered.

"Yes this is Mara." Thor nodded and gave Mara a small push forward.

"Mara? An odd name to have." Sif commented.

Mara sighed. "My real name is Margaret but since high school I've gone by Mara." She hated being called Margaret.

Thor raised a brow at that. "I did not know we had been calling you by a nickname."

"Well some people just hate the sound of their name so they have people call them something different." She told him.

"Is that Loki?" Volstagg asked as he looked past Mara.

Thor smiled. "That it is."

Thor friends headed over to Loki and Mara walked a head of them, feeling the need to be closer to him in case he needed her.

"He's smaller then I had heard." Fandral commented. "However did you managed to find clothes for him?"

"I made them myself." Mara answered.

Sif knelt down to get a better look at him. "You wouldn't think he was the same man who,"

"I don't think you need to finish that." Mara cut in, getting a glare from Sif.

Loki looked up at the four new faces before turning to Mara. "Mine?"

Mara smiled at him. "It's alright Loki. Everything's okay."

Loki stared at her for a moment before going back to drawing.

"He calls you Mine? Are you not worried about that?" Sif asked as she stood.

"Why should I be worried? It shows he's accepted me and that he thinks of me as his." Mara asked.

"I do not think Loki believing you are his is a good thing." Volstagg commented. "He does not let go of things easily."

"We share that trait then." Mara told him.

Loki let out a small yawn and Mara picked him up. "Looks like someone's ready for a nap."

Loki made a noise of protest but snuggled into her arms with his eyes shut.

Thor and his friends watched as she stood there with Loki in her arms rubbing his back for a bit before his breathing evened out as he fell asleep. Mara then set Loki into his bed before ushering the group to the next room, keeping the door to the one Loki was in slightly opened so she could hear if he woke up.

"You clearly have him under control." Sif commented.

Mara frowned at her. "He is not some dog that needs to be trained. He is a person, a child right now who needs love and care. Not harsh judgement and reminders of a time he can not recall."

"Just because he does not remember it does not mean he is forgiven." Fandral pointed out.

"I thought a punishment was meant to allow a person to redeem themselves while at the same time make those effected by the crime find some measure of peace." Mara said.

"What good is a punishment if he can not remember the crime?" Sif asked.

"Perhaps one in which he remembers the kindness given to him while he was powerless and thus may teach him to treat others better." Mara suggested. "Though clearly he is not the only one in need of this lesson."

Thor decided to step in there before a fight could start to break out. "Mara has been very good for my brother. I've never seen him as happy as I have when he is with her."

"And does Mara not care for what Loki tried to do to her world?" Sif asked.

"Mara going to kick your ass if you don't start talking to her like a person." Mara commented.

Thor sighed. He had no doubt that Mara and Sif would fight if given the chance.

"As if you could. What good could a mortal like you be in a fight?" Sif laughed off.

Thor tried to step in but Mara's hand snapped out and pinched at a point on Sif's shoulder, making Sif drop to her kneels with a hiss of pain.

"That's called a pressure point. I'm glad to see the people of Asgard had at least one pressure point that is the same as us humans." Mara smirked. "Care to let me test the rest of them?"

Thor placed a hand on Mara's shoulder. "Mara please. Think of Loki."

Mara looked to him before letting out a heavy sigh. "Right. Best not to wake him." She then let go of Sif. "But cross me and I promise that you'll wish that I had used that pressure point rather then what I will do to you."

Sif glared at Mara as she got to her feet, rubbing her shoulder.

"Mara I will take my friends else where and speak with them." Thor told her before ushering his friends to the door.

When they were gone Mara sighed to herself. "Great job Mara. You really are making a good impression on Asgard already." She really didn't get why her temper was getting so hot lately. Normally it would take a horrible month to get her this hot tempered. But something about the people of Asgard just rubbed her the wrong way. Pulling out her phone Mara found a couch to lay down on and played her relaxing playlist. Hoping it would make sure she didn't kill the next person that said something she didn't like.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

**Baby Loki's POV**

The room looked and smelt different from what he was use to but he could hear Mara's music coming from the other room and that brought some comfort to him. But he wanted out of the bed. however he knew that music meant that Mara was mad about something and he didn't want to bother her when she was mad. So he needed to come up with another way to get out of the bed.

"Hello Loki."

Loki turned his head and found a blond woman smiling down at him. she was dressed in green and looked really pretty to him.

"When I heard you were tiny I hadn't though you were that small." She chuckled. "I bet you don't even remember me. I am Amora." She said before picking him up.

Loki didn't like being held by her. It wasn't like when Mara holds him. Mara was gentle and smelled really nice. But this woman's hold was uncomfortable to him and her smell was all wrong. So he started to struggle in her arms, wanting to be put down.

"Stop squirming." Amora snapped before heading for the door to the hall.

Loki understood what was happening and tried to let out a cry so as to alert Mara, but the woman put her hand over his mouth to silence him.

"None of that now Loki. You are going to help me with Thor whether you like it or not." The woman told him.

Loki struggled in her arms as he was taken out into the hall trying to get his powers to work but felt something stopping him from using them.

The woman got Loki half way down the hall before Loki heard Mara. "Give him back!"

The woman turned to Mara with a smirk. "Or what will you do little mortal? Nothing, because that's all you are."

"Better then begin some old hag like you!" Mara snapped.

The woman's smirk transformed into a look of pure rage. "How dare you!" The hand that was covering Loki's mouth whipped out at the woman blasted Mara with something.

Loki watched in horror as Mara was thrown back, blood flying from deep cuts that appeared all over her body before she slammed into a wall, falling to the ground as lifeless as a toy.

"Mine!" Loki called to Mara over and over and the woman turned and ran off. But Mara didn't move.


	12. Find Loki

Thor sighed when he saw Mara. She was fighting with the healers who were trying to get her back in bed. From what he had heard she had been found outside the rooms he'd given her for her and Loki to stay in while they were in Asgard. She had been badly cut up by something and the ribs she had cracked a while back were cracked again. However her concern wasn't her health but Loki, who had been found missing.

"Tell me to go back to that bed one more time and I swear I'll make you need it more then me." Mara growled to one of the healers that had grabbed onto her arm.

"Mara we have the guards looking for Amora as we speak. I swear my brother will be found and returned to you, but you must rest." Thor told her.

Mara glared at him. "If a car accident couldn't keep me in bed why the fuck do you think this would?" She demanded. "I'm gonna find that blond whore and rip her apart!"

Thor had to shut his eyes and rub his hand over his face. Mara was the type to do that when angered enough and clearly she was at that point.

"Will you people stop treating me like a helpless child! I am a grown woman and I can take care of myself." Mara growled to the healers who were still trying to get her back to bed.

"Maybe because you are mortal and there for weaker then us." Sif suggested as she walked over, clearly believing there was no danger.

Mara gave Sif a flat look as Sif place a hand on her shoulder.

"We can handle Amora. But clearly she was too much for you, which is to be expected." Sif said.

Thor stared at Sif with wide eyes. Both because he'd never heard her speak so poorly about anyone and because he knew that Mara wasn't going to take that kind of talk.

Sure enough Mara's right hand slammed into Sif's throat before her left elbow struck Sif's stomach, right leg knocked Sif's legs out from under her before Mara's right foot slammed into Sif's stomach.

"I don't know what your problem with my kind is, and truth be told I don't have time to care right now. You're a bitch and if you were to ever come to my world and try to spend a day with regular everyday people I'm pretty sure you'd find your ass beaten every hour. You may be Asgard's best female warrior, but outside of that you are nothing." Mara then gave a bitter chuckle. "But as that is all Asgard cares about I guess I can't blame you for being nothing else." Mara slammed her foot once more into Sif's stomach before walking past Thor. "The only good thing to come out of Asgard is Loki and you people ruined him." She stopped at the door. "I won't let that happen twice." Then she was gone.

*.*

Mara had no idea where to start searching and every guard she tried to question told her to go back to the healers and let them find Loki. As if she was going to trust Loki with them! She was gonna find him on her own. But she had no idea where the hell someone like Amora would be hiding.

"Mara."

Mara turned and was surprised to see two of Thor's friends behind her.

"Would've thought you two would be with Sif as she licks her wounded pride." Mara commented.

"We've come to aid you in your search for Loki and Amora." Volstagg told her.

Mara frowned at that. Everyone else was against her going to look for Loki. "Why?"

"You've shown that you are capable at defending yourself as well as determined to get Loki back." Hogun told her.

"Also Amora will be waiting with Skurge who will do everything in his power to protect Amora and see to it that her plan succeeded. It would be best if you had aid against him at the least." Volstagg added.

Mara looked between the two before nodding. They clearly wanted to help her rather then stop her and as natives of Asgard they know the place better then she does.

"Is there room for one more?" Thor asked as he walked up to them.

"So long as you don't slow me down or get in my way." Mara told him.

Thor gave her a small smile. "I know to fear you when my brother is hurt or missing."

"Where's the best place to start our search that the guards wouldn't have already checked?" Mara asked.

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

**Baby Loki's POV**

"Will you shut up!" Amora screamed at Loki who hadn't stopped crying since she blasted Mara. Though she could keep him from doing any harm to her with his magic it seemed that Loki was able to shatter any silencing charm she'd tried to cast around him. She wasn't worried about him being heard as no one came around the ruins she'd brought him to. He was just plain annoying her.

Loki had no intention of stopping. Mara would be looking for him and he needed to let her know where he was. He'd managed to leave a small trail with what little of his power that he could. A trail of small flowers he knew she liked that he'd grown for her before but the trail wasn't as good as he'd hoped it would be. There were big gaps from when he had been bounced in Amora's arms and had to refocus on the task of growing flowers. And then there were places that he hadn't been able to grow them at all because there was nothing but stone under them. He just hoped what he left for her was enough. And more importantly that she was okay. Seeing Mara on the ground like that brought back memories of when those men had hurt Mara. Or the time she was in that place with her arm and leg wrapped up. It had scared him to see her like that again. To see her hurt.

' _Mara's strong though. She'll find me and make this woman hurt bad. And Thor will come too cause he won't let Mara go alone._ ' Loki thought as he took a breath to start crying again. ' _Mara was right. This is a bad place. Why would Thor bring us to a bad place? I thought he liked us._ '

"Thor is with that woman and two of the warriors three. They are looking for you." Skurge informed Amora.

Amora smiled at that. "Good. When Thor finds me I will offer him a trade. My hand in marriage for Loki's safe return. He will have no choice but to give in and accept my offer."

Loki, while not able to hurt Amora with his power grabbed his deer friend and threw it at Amora. Hitting her in the back of the head.

"Why you little!" Amora raised a glowing hand towards Loki but stopped when Skurge spoke.

"If you harm him now Thor may not accept your offer."

Amora let out an annoyed huff before blasting the stuff reindeer, destroying it. "Annoying brat! I will see to it that you meet a horrible fate later." Amora then stormed away, leaving Loki with Skurge.

Loki stared at his destroyed toy, a little sad but glad that he had managed to hit Amora. He was going to do more then that once he was strong enough. ' _You'll pay for hurting Mara. If Mara doesn't hurt you back I will._ ' He promised before glaring at Skurge, which given his current age and size wasn't all that impressive.

Skurge just stared back at him with his arms crossed.

Loki didn't like that so he opened his mouth and started crying again. Skurge must not have been expecting that because he looked confused and at a lost for what to do.

"Damn you Loki, shut up!" Amora screamed in the distance.

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

**Thor's POV**

He planned to make sure Amora paid for kidnapping his brother as well as attacking Mara. This crime would not go unpunished. Thor had assured Mara that Amora would not harm Loki but he wasn't so sure about that. He knew that Amora had little patience when it came to children and if Loki tried to make things hard for Amora then he wasn't sure that Amora wouldn't try to harm Loki. But if he told Mara that he knew she would start ripping up Asgard to find Amora before that could happen.

Hogun had stopped suddenly and bent down to pick a plant from the ground.

"It's a flower Hogun, hardly worth wasting time on." Volstagg commented.

"This is not common in Asgard. I've never seen it's like before." Hogun told him.

Mara walked over and took the flower from Hogun. "This is a wild flower from Earth. Loki grew a bunch of them for me when my arm and leg were broke." She smiled at the memory.

Thor smiled as well, though for another reason. "My brother, clever even as a baby."

The three turned to him in confusion before Mara seemed to realized what Thor had.

"Clever boy. You left us a trail." She laughed. "Find more of these and it will lead us right to them!" Mara ordered.

The trail was hard to follow, as it was broken in places and sometimes made turns that threw them off a little. But as the sun was beginning to set they found the end. And there stood Amora, next to Skurge with Loki in an cage made of magic.

"Mine!" Loki called happily when he saw Mara.

"Don't worry Loki, I'll deal with this witch and have you back before dinner." Mara assured him.

"I'm surprised you survived. Guess I wasn't using as much force as I thought I was." Amora said with narrow eyes on Mara. "But that doesn't matter." She turned to Thor with a smile. "I'll give Loki back to the mortal. But only if you agree to marry me Thor."

"And if I refuse?" Thor asked.

Amora chuckled. "Then you get to watch Loki die. Simple as that. You either marry me and Loki lives or you don't and he dies. What will it be?"

"How bout neither and we beat your skanny fat butt?" Mara smirked.

Amora glared at her with pure rage. "Silence harlot! As if you have any right to speak to you betters."

Mara snorted. "My betters? Oh please. You kidnap a child to force his brother to marry you. Can't tell you how many times that happens on Earth. Talk about common. But then again what more can I expect from common trash such as you?"

Volstagg lowered his head to hide his smile of amusement. He'd never heard anyone speak to Amora like Mara was. When this was over he would invite Mara to share a drink with him. Perhaps even learn some of the insults of Midgard if they were half as amusing as these.

"Thor make your choice now! Marriage to me or let Loki die?" Amora demanded.

Thor turned to his two friends and Mara. Mara was clearly ready to fight and itching to tear into Amora for what she'd done. Hogun was ready as well, carefully reaching for his weapon so as not to alert Skurge. Volstagg had lifted his head and was glaring at Amora, also ready to fight. Thor wanted to just say no and get to the battle but Loki's life was on the line. And he wouldn't put it past Amora to use her magic to kill Loki instantly if he said no. This was one of those times that Loki would tell him that brains would be better then brawn. And Thor found himself agreeing.

"Very well." Thor said. Cause Mara, Volstagg, and Hogun to stare at him in shock. He turn to them. "We have no choice so long as Loki is there and we are here."

Mara narrowed her eyes at him for a moment before nodding as she seemed to get what he was saying. "She's got us trapped." Mara made sure to say trapped in a way that told Thor she understood his plan and hoped that the other two also understood.

Hogun gave a nod. "I shall return to the palace and notify the king that you are to marry Amora." He then turned and left.

Amora smiled, clearly thinking that she had won. "I knew that you would make the right choice. Come here my husband." She held her arms out to Thor.

Thor tried not to sigh in displeasure as he walked to Amora and took her hands in his. From the corner of his eye he saw Mara try to get past Skurge, who was blocking her path. "You need not keep Mara from Loki. You have won and she can not break the cage you have him in." He pointed out.

"True. Very well, let her pass." Amora ordered.

Skurge backed away and Mara ran over to Loki.

"Once we are married I shall let him go. You've made the right decision Thor." Amora smiled.

"You're even dumber then you look if you think the king of Asgard will allow this." Mara growled.

Amora chuckled. "He'll just be thankful Thor isn't marrying that mortal. She would never make a good queen." Amora then turned her head to Mara. "And once I am queen I'll be sure to make your death as painful as possible."

"But you said," Thor began.

"That I would let Loki live. But that bitch does not deserve to live. Why, I would kill her now but I don't want to make a mess of such a lovely setting." Amora laughed.

Mara turned to Amora and glared at her. "More like you know I would beat you in a fight without magic. But it's alright that you're a coward!" Mara spat.

Amora turned to her with a look of disgust and Thor knew trouble was about to rear it's head more then it had already.

"Even without my magic I can still kill you." Amora sneered.

"Then prove it! Fight me bitch. Or are you going to get you little lap dog to do it for you like the pathetic thing you are?"

While Thor admired Mara's courage and willingness to fight this was not the time for it.

"Very well then." Amora stepped away from Thor. "Let us see who is stronger."

"Mine?" Loki asked Mara.

"With pleasure." Mara growled before charging at Amora, who was taken by surprise as she'd clearly thought Mara would back down.


	13. Protecting and saving

Though Mara knew the plan was for Hogun to catch Amora and Skurge by surprise Mara just couldn't help but force a battle between her and Amora. The cocky bitch was worst then Sif and needed to learn that humans weren't going to take their shit. Also she owned Amora for the injuries she got during their last encounter. Mara just wished she'd let herself recover a tiny bit more as her current injuries were effecting her ability to fight. But from the look of Amora fighting without magic clearly wasn't something she was use to.

"Looking a little breathless there Amora. What's the matter? Having trouble keeping up with a human?" Mara mocked as she wiped some blood from her lips.

"A filthy thing like you would know more about fighting then a lady." Amora growled.

Mara laughed. "A lady? You? You couldn't be wearing less unless you were naked. That is hardly how a lady should dress."

"As if you would know." Amora snapped before tackling Mara.

The two had been trading blows for a while now. Everything from punches to kicks to hair pulling and biting. Mara had never really been in a cat fight before but now she understood why it was called so. She really did feel like a cat trying to get the upper hand. She was also surprised no one had stepped in to stop this. She knew Skurge wouldn't unless he felt Amora was in true danger or she called for him. But Thor and Volstagg were just watching the fight with wide eyes as the two women rolled around in the dirt scratching and hitting each other.

Loki had been batting at his cage, trying to get out but the cage held strong against his attempts.

As for Hogun? Well Mara had no idea why he hadn't made a move yet. She didn't peg him for the type to sit and watch a cat fight. Maybe she'd had the plan wrong after all. Maybe he'd gone back to the palace for back up. But that didn't seem like something they would do. Unless Hogun was smarter then everyone else and actually understood that they would have a better chance with guards backing them.

Mara finally got the upper hand, flipping Amora onto her stomach with one arm pulled behind her back. A jerk of the arm upwards and Amora let out a cry of pain. "Surrender bitch!" Mara demanded.

Amora stilled and Mara let her guard down as pride blinded her to the trick. Quick as a snake Amora twisted around and slashed Mara's face with magic, knocking Mara off her and to the ground.

Mara shouted in pain and tried to see what was happening around her. Whatever Amora hit her with it left her vision blurry at best. "You cheated."

Amora gave a small laugh. "Perhaps so. But I was never one for following rules."

Mara could see the blurry form of Amora standing over her, clearly getting ready to finish her off. Loki was screaming and banging against the cage like mad and she could hear Thor running to stop Amora.

"This is less then you deserve." Amora growled.

Mara did not shut her eyes as everything slowed down as Amora lowered her right hand to fire some magical attack at her. She watched every blurry second she could before a flash made her shut her eyes. But the cry of pain she heard did not come from her. It came from Amora.

"Get away from her." A new voice growled.

Mara opened her eyes and turned her head towards the area the new voice had come from. The blurry form of a pale figure could just be made out before, with the adrenaline left her and Mara passed out.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

**Baby Loki's POV**

He watch the fight taking place before him. His tiny hands striking the cage around him as he tried to force his way out of it but whatever the bars were made of were far stronger then his small body could ever hope to be.

Mara was putting up a good fight and Loki was sure she could win it. But what he didn't like was that Mara had gone into the fight already hurt and no one was helping her. Thor and the big red man were just standing there and watching the whole thing. So was Amora's friend but Loki was glad he wasn't joining the fight. While Mara was strong, even while injured Loki knew she wouldn't be able to fight someone like that man on her own as well as Amora.

Loki couldn't help but smile when Mara got Amora on the ground, on her stomach with one arm pinned behind her back. He let out a cheer because it looked like she had won. That the battle was over and they could go home now. Loki would ignore her protest along the way and heal as much as he could before he would have to sleep. But then he heard Mara cry out in pain and saw her fall to the ground with her hands on her face and Amora's free hand was glowing.

Loki struck the cage harder. He had to get to Mara and help her. Thor and the big red man understood this too as they were both running towards her. Amora lifted her hand after saying something to Mara and Loki saw it start to glow again. He tripled his efforts to get out of the cage at that. He had to protect Mara. He had to get to her and stop Amora. He would do anything to protect her because she was his. Because he loved her.

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

**Thor's POV**

He should have known that Amora would use magic, but he'd been caught off guard. He cursed himself for not stopping this sooner. Now Mara was going to to die and it was all his fault. And this was happening in front of Loki. All of his past failure when it came to Loki would be nothing compared to letting Mara die in front of him. but there was no way for Thor to make it to her in time.

' _Brother, I'm sorry._ ' He thought before a flash of light blinded him. However Amora's cry of pain made him open his eyes to find Amora on the ground a foot away from Mara. Looking to where the flash had come from Thor's jaw almost hit the ground in pure shock.

"Get away from her." Loki growled, his narrowed eyes locked on Amora and his hands glowing with magic.

Loki had returned to his adult form. His very naked adult form Thor noted but never the less this could only mean that whatever it was that Loki had to do to regain his form he had done it. And from the looks of things Loki's first and currently only thought was making Amora pay.

"Loki? But how?" Amora gasped as she backed away.

Skurge moved to block Amora from Loki but a flick of Loki's hand and he was sent flying into the near by lake.

Amora scrambled to her feet, but Loki lifted her off the ground with his magic and turned her back to him.

"So Amora. You will kill me if Thor does not marry you? And even if he does marry you you intend to kill Mara?" Loki asked her as he pulled Amora towards him.

"She is beneath us Loki. And you know I would never kill you after all we've been through." Amora nervously answered.

"And now you dare to tell me what is beneath me? Clearly you do not want to continue living." Loki held a hand to Thor when he went to say something. "But that was the old me. Unlike what many may thing I am a changed man now. You should thank Mara for that." Loki chuckled. "If you ever see the light of day again." He then waved a hand over Amora's face and she dropped limp to the ground.

"Loki?" Thor questioned.

"A simple sleep spell. Nothing more." Loki waved off as he walked over to Mara and sighed. "You just can't stay out of trouble." He mused before kneeling and setting to work healing her wounds.

Thor found himself smiling. The fact that Loki was taking time to heal Mara and looking at her so fondly suggested things had changed with his brother. A change for the better. Thor walked over to Loki and looked down at Mara. "Will she be alright?" He asked.

"She has torn open many of her cuts, her ribs were rubbing against her organ, I've no idea how none of her organ haven't been pierced, and she has been rendered half blind. But all that is easily fixed." Loki waved off before turning his head as something was draped over him. It was Thor's red cape. Loki gave Thor a smile. "Red's never been my color."

Thor laughed at that. "No it's not. But for now it will have to do."

Loki looked back at Mara. "She's going to be in for quite the shock. I wonder how she will take it."

"Given that her first reaction when she found you was to help you I believe it will be alright." Thor told his brother.

"Maybe. But we still have yet to meet with Odin. I fear this may not be the last battle Mara will fight for me." Loki sighed. Being taken from Mara, especially now that he was himself again was likely to be what would happen when Odin speaks with them. But Loki knew Mara would fight to keep him. And he would do the same. "Perhaps if I had met Mara before none of what I did would happen."

Thor went to comfort his brother but Loki picked up Mara in his arms.

"No point in staying here. Skurge with collapse once he reaches the shore. You had best signal to Hogun that we are leaving." Loki then started walking towards the palace.

Thor sighed. "Brother, why must you always expect the worst when it comes to our father?"


	14. Loki's fate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It is after midnight here and my hands are going to start cramping but I just had to write this one more chapter before calling it quits for the night. Please enjoy.

Mara had woken expecting pain and to maybe hear the fussing of those healers and some comments between healers how she should've listened to them. Maybe Sif's smug voice telling someone that she'd tried to warn her. But no. The only sounds Mara could hear was a fire burning, pages in a book being turned, and the soft sound of someone breathing not far from where she was. Come to think of it the bedding under and around her didn't feel like that of the bed in the healer room or whatever they called it. These felt almost like silk and fur.

Cracking open an eye Mara found herself in a room more like the bedroom in Thor's wing, but the decor was different. More elegant with green and gold being the prime colors. Mara was very confused as to where she was before she remembered what happened and sat up, intending to push her way past whoever was watching her to find Loki. But when she saw who was sitting next to her with a book in their lap she froze.

"Good morning Mara. I trust you slept well?" He asked her.

She'd know that face anywhere. Not just because the Avengers had shown her the file they had on him but because she has pretty much been looking at it for months now.

"Loki?"

He smiled at her. "I must look quite different to you in this form." He chuckled.

"But how? How did you change back?" She asked him.

Loki shook his head. "I've no idea. But had I not then you would be dead and Amora would be marrying Thor as we speak rather then sitting in a cell."

Mara smiled at him. "Well, this is good right? I mean you don't need me to look after you anymore and it means your punishment is over. You're free."

Loki sighed. "Free? Only if the Allfather allows it."

Mara frowned at that. "If he doesn't after putting you through all of that as well as losing you in that small infant form then he's a very poor king."

Loki turned a smile on her. "A king must listen to his people and take care not to appear weak."

Mara gave him a flat look. "And a father must care for his children even when his is a king. His time on the throne will one day come to an end but his duties as a father will last until he dies."

That seemed to surprise Loki as he raised his brows at her.

Mara shoved off the blankets and stood. "And speaking of the king when the hell are we going to be allowed to meet with him? You would think with all that has happened to us that he would get off his ass and get this meeting over with already."

That made Loki laugh a little. "Well you are in luck. He sent word that once you were awake he wishes to speak with us. And I know for a fact that he has nothing else to do until that is done."

"Bout damn time! I get that he's a king and all but come on! This is a matter of family after all. He needs to take off that crown for a day and put on his father cap."

Loki chuckled at that and stood. "Come, before you say something and I forget all about our meeting with Odin in favor of laughing."

*.*

Mara had taken notice of Loki's clothes as they walked down the halls. He was wearing black pants with a lose green tunic and some boots on his feet.

"While not as comfy as the pajamas you made me it does feel good to be dressed like this again." Loki commented when he noticed her stare.

Mara shrugged. "It's a nice look but a bit uptight. When we get back to Earth I'll help you find some comfy clothes. Get you rocking jeans and a tshirt before long."

He gave her a small smile. "If I am allowed to return I may like that."

"Oh you are so returning. If I have to run over every guard in Asgard I am taking your butt back to Earth. Just wait till you really try Earth as an adult! Hell I bet Tony's gonna want to go crazy with the spending when I tell him what I have planned for you." Mara laughed. She had noticed the sad look in his eyes and knew that Loki was worried about this meeting with the king. But she was a stubborn woman and wouldn't let herself get pushed around.

They reached the doors to the throne room and Loki sighed heavily, clearly he wished the walk had been longer.

Mara paused when Loki placed a hand on her arm.

"Mara, thank you." He said.

"Huh?" She asked.

"You took far greater care of me then I deserve after all that I have done. And while others told you of my crimes and why I was a danger you pushed them aside and continued to care for me. You were even willing to risk your life for me when Amora stole me from you. I am in your debt."

Mara stared at him for a while before she lightly hit him upside the head, making him blink at her in confusion. "You owe me nothing Loki. What I did wasn't for some reward or even because I had to. And while you weren't always the easiest kid to deal with I never once regretted taking you in." She smiled. "Now come on. Let's go inform that king that you are coming back to Earth and nothing he saids is gonna change that fact."

Loki could only smile at Mara as he allowed her to pull him into the throne room, where to his surprise only Thor and Odin stood. Loki had expected at least Odin's advisers to be there along with some guards, but no. The room was empty of anyone else.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

**Loki's POV**

"What's going on?" Loki heard Mara asked and felt her confusion. Clearly she had been expecting more as well.

The two came to a stop before Thor and Odin and Loki noticed both seemed very pleased with something.

"First, I believe I owe you an apology Mara." Odin began.

"What, for Amora? Hardly your doing." Mara waved off.

"No, for the deception." Odin corrected.

Loki tensed at that. Odin openly admitting to misleading someone never meant anything good

"What deception?" Mara asked and Loki tighten his hold on her hand.

"I lied when I claimed my father had lost my brother." Thor admitted. "In truth he told me to deliver Loki to you."

Both Loki and Mara turned to him in shock. "What?" They both asked.

"I was given to Mara?" Loki questioned Odin.

Odin nodded. "Mara was chosen as the perfect choice to look after you. A woman with a kind heart and a willingness to fight to protect anyone under her care. Though I am surprised at how far she truly was willing to go to protect a child not her own."

"How did you know I would take good care of Loki?" Mara asked.

Loki sighed. "You had Hemidall search and then had him watch her." It made sense. Odin would want to be sure things would go as he wanted before taking such a risk.

"However I did not expect things to go so well. I had thought that you would remain in that form for many years to come. Clearly Mara was a far better choice then I had thought." Odin confessed.

"And now?" Mara asked. "What happens to Loki and I now that his punishment is over?"

Odin looked to her, studying her. "You have already made your choice as to what should happen."

"If I have any say he's coming back to Earth with me. Then again even if I don't have a say I will fight to bring him back." Mara admitted and Loki held back a sigh. As challenging the Allfather was never the best idea. At least not flat out in front of him after only just recovering from the last fight, magical healing or not.

"And you Loki? Have you no thoughts on this matter?" Odin asked him, surprising Loki as the question was unexpected.

"I would like to return to Midgard if I can. As an infant I saw much that I had not noticed during the invasion. Things that I am interested in learning about and Mara has expressed her intent to show me these things." Loki figured there was no point in not admitting to it as it would change nothing.

Odin turned to Thor and the two seemed to come to an unspoken agreement about something.

Loki wanted to tighten his hold on Mara's hand again but feared hurting her.

"Oh for the love of everything decent. Will you please just say your piece?" Mara demanded and Loki had to fight not to smile.

Odin stared at her before, to Loki's surprise a smile appeared on his face. "Thor had told me of your temper. It reminds me of my wife when we were young." He then turned to Loki. "I have decided," Loki braced himself. "that you shall return to Midgard and aid the mortals known as the Avengers in protecting Midgard until I feel you have truly redeemed yourself."

Loki had shut his eyes and was ready to accept his fate and felt Mara ready herself to argue with Odin, then his words clicked. "What?" Mara asked. "I'm sorry?" Loki was sure he'd heard wrong.

Odin however gave a chuckle while Thor flat out laughed.

"You shall aid the Avengers in protecting Midgard until I had seen that you have truly redeemed yourself. Until then you shall return to Asgard once a month to fulfill your duties as a prince of Asgard unless gravely injured and in need of healing." Odin repeated.

Both Loki and Mara gaped at Odin in shock before Mara let out a loud cheer that surprised Loki before he broke out in laughter and Mara hugged him tightly.

"Oh you sneaky bastard! I can't believe I didn't see this coming." Mara laughed.

Loki had to agree with her. He thought he knew Odin and could see his tricks, but clearly the old man had a few still hidden from Loki's expert gaze. "And you knew this the whole time Thor?" Loki questioned the still laughing blond.

Thor nodded. "It was hard to keep from you and my friends on Midgard, but thankfully you had no interested in anything more then childish this and Mara during most of it." Thor admitted.

Loki shook his head. "Once more you surprise me and I find myself impressed with you."

"Enough of this brother. Tonight there will be a feast and I trust both you and Mara will be there?" Though worded as a question Loki knew Thor was saying that they would be there or he would drag them to it.

"Well, Mara should experience a feast in Asgard before we return to Midgard." Loki nodded.

"I have nothing to wear. I only brought stuff for Loki and he no longer needs it." Mara admitted, looking a little worried.

"No need to worry Mara. As I am sure we can find a dress for you." Loki told her.

"Agreed. Now let's go see what we can find for her as the feast is not too far off." Thor said before leading the pair out of the throne room.

*.*

"I feel stupid in this." Mara sighed from behind a curtain.

Thor had lost interest in looking for a dress for Mara and left, most likely to try to sneak a snack from the kitchen. Loki could just see Cook through her wooden spoon at Thor's head as he ran from the kitchen with a plate of cookies for something.

"Let me see." Loki called.

"No! I look stupid." Mara protested.

"Mara, let me see." Loki put a little force behind it and heard he let out a sigh before she parted the curtain and stepped out. She was wearing a simple white dress with a gold design across her breasts and the sleeves were divided into four strips that hug freely along her arms. The skirt touched the floor with a little extra at the back that would drag behind her. "I don't get this back part. I am going to kill myself over it if I try to dance in this thing."

Loki chuckled. While he could see her problem with the back he felt it looked very nice on her. Were it not for her short hair, blue bangs, and the fact that she is a little shorter then the average woman of Asgard she could past for being of Asgard. "We can have them remove that part." He pointed out. Loki liked the way the dress hugged Mara's curves, bring them to light where as her normal clothes mostly covered them up. She had a very pleasing figure to her. Loki was hard pressed to find something he didn't like about Mara.

Mara looked over at him and sighed. "Maybe I should sit this feast out. At least until I can get something from Earth to wear."

Loki walked over and took her hands in his. "Thor would drag you to the feast regardless of what you wear. And if he didn't I would." She glared up at him and Loki chuckled. "Don't give me that look. Would you really make me attend this feast alone?"

She sighed heavily at that. "No." She mumbled, clearly unhappy about being caught in the trap.

Loki smiled at her, glad he could win against her in a battle of wills. At least as long as he had the advantage.

"Loki, why do you still want to be around me?" Mara asked suddenly, taking Loki off guard. "I mean you don't need me anymore and I don't see a reason for you to stick around with someone like me. I'm not some hero nor anyone interesting."

Loki frowned at her thinking of herself like that, trying to think how to word what he was going to say to her. "Do you remember what I called you while I was an infant?" He asked her.

"You called me Mine."

"That's right. And do you know why I called you that?" Loki asked,

Mara shook her head.

Loki leaned in and touched his forehead with her's. "Though only an infant I did retain some of my former self. I called you Mine because that is what you are to me. Mine to protect. Mine to keep." He leaned into her ear and braced himself a little for this next part. "Mine to love." He heard her give a small gasp. He wanted to pull away to see her face but wasn't sure if he wanted to see if she rejected him. After all he was just a baby to her through most of the time they knew each other and there for while he knew he had fallen in love with her she had not had the chance to do so with him.

"That is what Mine meant to you?" She asked quietly.

Loki nodded, not moving away from her ear so he wouldn't see any rejection in her eyes. He was surprised when her arms slowly wrapped about him.

"We need to get to know each other a little better then what we currently do, but for now Loki," He heard her lick her lips slowly and take a shaky breath. "Mine."

Loki couldn't stop the smile that appeared on his lips if he tried. He knew she was right and that they needed to get to know one and other better before their relationship could truly grow but for now, at least he knew his feelings were not one sided. "Mine." He breathed and held her close.


	15. The feast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay as some of you may be able to tell I am not really following some of the movies. So things like Civil War have not happened here. Just wanted to make that clear for everyone.  
> Thanks for all the love everyone. You're all amazing people!

Mara had never thought of herself as short, but walking around among Asgardians all gathered in one room made her aware of just how much shorter she truly is to everyone else. On Earth her height is more normal but here she worried she would strain her neck trying to talk to someone who wasn't sitting down while she stands. And the dress didn't help. Sure it covered her, but the way it hugged her made her self conscious of her shape as she looked around at the women around her. She was no where near their level of beauty. Hell even Sif looked better in a dress then she did, or at least that's what Mara thought.

Loki assured her that she looking amazing and while that did make Mara just a little happy it did nothing to block out that dark little voice that told her that he didn't mean it. That she was pretty much the little dog that most found ugly but rich and famous people for some reason like to carry around with them from time to time. That she was a pug among poodles.

Mara shook her head. ' _Okay now I know I'm over thinking this if I'm comparing myself and everyone around me to lap dogs. Just chill and drink the wine Loki got ya girl and you can get through this one night. Then you get to go home with Loki and everything will be fine. Might not be normal but it will be fine._ '

"Everything alright Mara?" Loki asked her.

Mara sighed. "Any chance if I jump out the window I'll land back on Earth as if this night was just a dream?" She asked him.

Loki gave her a comforting smile. "We just have to stay long enough to be respectable and then we can disappear back to my wing and forget all that happened here." He promised her.

"And how long is respectable?"

"An hour into the actual meal." Loki answered.

Mara groaned and hid her face in his chest, causing him to laugh and lean his head down to her.

"If we are to have a relationship you must understand that one day you will have to spend much time among the people of Asgard. After all it would be very odd for them if,"

Mara quickly cut him off. "I swear if you say anything about me be coming a flipping princess to these people I will smack you."

Loki laughed at that but said nothing more on the subject. After all he'd seen Mara chase some of the Avengers off her floor with a bowl for simply not taking her warning growls to let her do something in the kitchen as serious.

"Brother." Thor greeted as he walked over to them. "Mara you look good in that dress."

Mara groaned. "Whatever you guys say."

Loki smiled down at her before turning to answer Thor's confused look. "Mara does not feel she looks as good as any woman here. Seems my word is not enough to quiet the voices in her head telling her other wise."

"What? You can knock Sif down will little trouble while injured and take on Amora in a fight also while injured, but being in a dress at a feast is too much for you?" Thor asked her.

"Hey I can do warrior shit. But this social crap isn't normally my thing. I mean sure I went to school dances and stuff like that but I always went alone and just sat alone eating food and drinking whatever they had there at the time." Mara shrugged, ignoring the looks Loki gave her at hearing that she attended things by herself. "I don't wanna talk about it." She said quickly to stop any questions that may be coming.

"What's this about taking down Sif?" Loki asked Thor.

Thor grinned. "You missed it brother. Mara got the better of Sif twice. Sif saids, however that in a proper battle Mara would not stand a chance."

Mara rolled her eyes. "At least I would remain standing."

That made both Thor and Loki chuckle.

"I have no doubt you would win in that fight. However I don't want to see you hurt again for a long time." Loki said as he wrapped an arm around Mara's waist and pulled her close.

"As if I want to have another smack down anytime soon. I'm not that stupid Loki." Mara defended as she took a drink.

"Your recent record saids other wise." Loki pointed out, getting hit upside the hand by Mara's free hand.

"What can I say, blonds just don't like the things that come out of my mouth lately. Thor excluded of course. And Sif has proven to be a bitch that needs a wake up call if she things she can get away with talking down about my race or even about me." She explained. "Speaking of blonds does anyone on Earth know that Loki's coming back with me and he's all grown up? Like, I don't know Steve?"

Thor shook his head. "No. I fear there is no way to tell them other then in person and there wasn't time to travel to Midgard and explain everything before the feast."

"So I am expected to simply show up and hope they allow you time to explain before they attack me?" Loki questioned with an annoyed look on his face.

Thor held his hand up. "I shall have us be someplace public and ask them to join us. They will not do anything if we are in public and you are doing no wrong."

Mara snorted at that. "Have you seen their track record with new heroes? I mean wasn't there that whole thing with Spiderman before Tony made contact with him?" Mara was referring to the Avengers attempts to capture Spiderman for questioning and possibly lock up before Tony had apparently shown up with said hero and settled everyone's mind about just what kind of hero Spidy is.

Thor frowned in confusion, having not been there for that or having heard of it. "I shall have to question them when we get back about that. However I am sure when they see my brother doing no harm to anyone around him they will give him a chance."

"Optimism will kill you one day Thor." Loki sighed.

"Let's just hope we get a word in edge wise with the Avengers. Or Thor could go to them and inform them about everything that's happened before bringing them to us in say, Central Park?" Mara offered.

Loki nodded. "That could work better. Even more so if he leaves the fact that I've returned to Midgard with him and you till last."

"Very well then." Thor nodded.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

**Loki's POV**

Returning to Midgard with the Avengers not knowing the whole thing was planned, as well as knowing it was only because he was an infant that protected him from their wrath did not sit well with Loki. But Mara expressed wanting him to come back with her and he could not find it in him to deny her request. She'd suffered greatly for him and did not want anything in return other then show him the 'wonders' of her world that he had missed when he was trying to invade. And while she told him he owed her nothing Loki was going to pay her back for all the kindness she'd show him ten fold. No one had ever done as much for him, a part from his mother that is.

Hearing Mara groan softly Loki smiled as his mind returned to what was happening around them. Volstagg had gotten them to sit with him and was in the process of telling everyone of the battle between Mara and Amora. Mara had a hand over her face and mumbling that she hated how much Asgard got off on battle.

Loki chuckled and leaned into her ear. "Just a little longer and we can leave without anyone raised an eyebrow." He assured her.

"You said that two hours ago! I thought we only had to stay an hour?" Mara hissed.

Loki tried to give her an innocent smile but failed. "An hour after the meal begins. I did not tell you how long it may take before the meal is served." He laughed opening when Mara took her hand off her face and swatted him across the chest with it. She was just so easy sometimes.

"To think, a mortal taking on a sorceress like Amora by herself." One of the men at the table said as he turned to Mara. "Either Midgard's women are great warriors or you are a rare breed."

Loki narrowed his eyes at the glint of lust in that man's eyes towards Mara. He was about to comment on it when Mara spoke.

"Breed? So I am no more then cattle?" She asked him. "What a rude thing to say."

The man appeared both shocked and confused as to how his comment had been twisted like so.

"Do yourself a favor and stay away from my world. The women there take greater offence to such talk and many of the men won't stand for it either." Mara told him before taking a drink of her wine.

Loki smiled at her. "Forgive him. Some just do not know how to compliment a woman without reducing them to object to be owned."

Mara snorted. "Nearly all men are like that. Some just managed to learn how to grow up better then others."

Volstagg laughed. "You see what I mean? The insults that come from Midgard are as amusing as they are wounding."

"Well you lot just need to get out more. After all you all still seem to think that we humans are gonna drop to our knees thinking of you lot as gods. Most of the human race now a days will just tell you to drop dead and walk right on by." Mara told him.

"This is true. They have long stopped seeing us as such and are happy to stand up to us. Some even in the face of death." Loki remembered the old man who had stood up to him with no fear in his eyes. Eyes that showed a survivor of war and suppression.

' _Maybe I should find that man again. I would like to hear how he got such eyes._ '

"Gods are over rated anyway." Loki blinked as Mara's words cut into his thoughts. "Now a days on my world you can look around and see all kinds of people doing what was once thought impossible. Like the Avengers. The powers on that team would make them look like gods if they went back in time. So what that means is that gods are just people who are at a point that we don't yet understand. And while you lot may be longer lived then us humans, at least we make the most out of the short time we have."

That made one woman frown. "You think we waste out lives?"

"Girl look at you. I've seen you flirt with at least three men tonight and all of the rejected you. I've watched as your self worth took a nose dive towards the ground after each one turned you down. You let yourself be seen as valuable only as far as becoming a wife and possible mother. On my world, a girl is taught to work to support herself. Given an education and training to do the same kind of work that men do. And when that girl grows up she goes out and works for her dreams. Sometimes it's as simple as owning and running her own shop. Sometimes she wants to be a rich business woman. But she wants to be an equal to men. Sure she might one day marry and have children, but that won't stop her from continuing to work at her dreams." Mara took a drink. "It might not be like this everywhere in my world but we are working towards making it happen. Making it so women are just for breeding and making men happy. Hell we have a lot of women fighting in wars these days and they aren't looked down upon by the men they fight along side."

The woman's frown had turned to a look of surprise.

"Don't let your self worth only be decided by if you are married with children. You can do so much more then that if you just try."

Loki wrapped his arm around Mara's waist and gave her squeeze. She was right. After all everyone told Sif that she couldn't be a warrior and look at where Sif is now. One of Asgard's best female warriors. If other women would follow Sif's lead and start doing the things to make themselves the equals of men then maybe Asgard would truly become great. And from the looks of the men and women around them Loki could tell at least a few of them were thinking on Mara's words.

"I'm not sure if I should encourage you or just remain silent and let you speak." Loki admitted to Mara in a whisper.

"Someone needs to snap these people out of their little fantasy that Asgard is perfect. It's either this or have them spend a year on Midgard." Mara told him.

"Now there's an idea." Have some of Asgard have to live as mortals on Midgard for a year. It would open their eyes alright. A few months with Mara while he was a baby had opened Loki's eyes to the struggles of mortals. And she'd mostly just had to deal with looking after him while at the same time working her way through her schooling. And that was before Tony Stark had stepped in to help with some of the things Mara would let him help her with.

"Maybe we can pitch it to the king later. For now I just want to get through this without it turning into a nightmare." Mara smiled.

"My dear Mara, I do believe this night is going very well. After all not one person has found you offensive nor have you gotten into a fight. I would call that a victory." Loki told her.

Mara said nothing, just gave him a smirk that said 'not yet' before finishing off her wine.


	16. Back on Earth again

Mara had never been happier to see New York then she was at that very moment. Asgard may be a nice looking place to visit but she can't stand the views they have. While not being perfect New York doesn't have sexist men who can't see the potential of a woman. Okay yes New York has them but they aren't everywhere like they are in Asgard. And the women of New York aren't all just seeking husbands because their self worth is measurable in the form of having a family and looking after a man. Yeah Asgard might be fancy looking and more tech advance then New York, but at least New York doesn't make Mara want to rip her hair out and go insane whenever someone opens their mouth.

She could tell Loki was glad to be away from Asgard as well, in the way that he was leaning back again the bench they were sitting on in Central Park. The two had gotten ice cream after Thor had left but remained close enough to where the Bifrost set them down for Thor to easily find and it was a nice warm day. They watched as people walked about the area around them, couples talking or kissing, old people feeding birds, kids running around with their parents trying to keep up, and dog owners walking their beloved pets.

"To think I missed something as peaceful as this when I first came here." Loki shook his head.

"Well you had other things on your mind and a huge chip on your shoulder. And I thought we were letting go of the past and moving on to the future rather then beating yourself up about it." Mara reminded him.

Loki smiled at her. "Only if we can get others to do the same. After all they will beat me up in the physic sense rather then mentally."

"While it's not good to think everything will be sunshine and roses it's also not good to think of nothing but the worst. Ya gotta find the middle ground Loki. That comfy place when you can see both sides of the what if." Mara told him.

"I am trying. However I am so use to the worst that it is hard to see the good. Other then you that is."

Mara slapped Loki on the arm and blushed a little. "Stop it. Flattery won't get you no where with me. But keep trying." She smiled at the laugh that brought from him as it took him away from what they were talking about for a moment.

"How long do you think Thor will be?" Loki asked after a moment.

"Depends on if everyone is at the tower, how he goes about explaining everything, and more to the point how willing they are to listen once they hear that you are back and in adult form once more." Mara sighed.

"Then I fear we could be here for years." Loki laughed as he got another slap for that. "So what is your grand plan for me during my stay on Midgard?"

"Depends on how open minded you are and how willing I am to let Tony take care of everything. But first thing I am so doing is introducing you to movies and TV shows. Bet we can find something that you will not be willing to live without before too long. Get you an OTP."

"OTP? What is that?" Loki asked with a tilt of his head.

"OTP stands for One True Pairing. Who you ship with who and no one can tell you they aren't good together." Mara answered and finished off her ice cream.

"Ship? Why would I put them on a ship?"

That got Mara to laugh. "No! When people talking about those they see as a couple it's called shipping. Some times the shipping is simple and makes sense to everyone. Other times there's this complicated set of circumstances that have to be met in the minds of everyone else before that ship can be real in their minds. And of course there are those ships that only make sense or are appealing to certain people. But one thing you must know is that people will fight for their ships no matter what."

Loki frowned at that. "Sounds like madness to me."

Mara gave him a grin. "Haven't you heard? We're all mad. We just don't talk about our own madness because it's cooler not to."

Loki shook his head. "And I fear I shall never understand this realm."

"Give it time." Mara patted his shoulder before hearing an engine and looked up. "Looks like their here." 

The jet landed before them and both Mara and Loki were happy to see the team only slightly geared up for battle.

"That ice cream vendor over there has some of the best ice cream I've ever tasted. Be sure to give them a try." Mara called to the team as they walked over.

"How was Fairy Land?" Tony asked.

"I got insulted a lot, attacked by the Bitchy Witch of the West, lost Loki for a while, found Loki, fought Bitchy Witch of the West, almost got myself killed, woke up to Loki all grown up, found out the whole my finding tiny baby him was planned and that blondy here lied to all of us, then I had to sit through a feast with people who only seem interested in repeating the same stories over and over again because they only know one method of fighting and reject all others. 4 out 10 would not go willingly again and recommend you bring your own entertainment." Mara answered.

"Thor told us what happened with Amora. Are you alright?" Steve asked.

"I assure while I am no healer I know enough healing magic from my time traveling with Thor to keep Mara from death. At least if she will stop trying to throw herself at Death's door." Loki threw Mara a slightly annoyed look.

Mara gave him a bright smile. "I don't know what you are talking about." She ducked in time to avoid a smack to the back of the head and laughed. "Loki took care of all my wounds. I'm fine guys."

"And now we have a new team mate." Tony turned to Loki. "You going to be good and work with us?"

Loki smiled. "Stark, I am here because Mara wishes it and the Allfather ordered me to work with all of you."

"And that means he's gonna be a good boy and help fight the bad guys as well as learn about our world. Right?" Mara asked.

"Of course. After all there is much to learn. Like OTPs and Ships." Loki nodded.

"What?" Asked Steve. Everyone else just chuckled and found some amusement in it.

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

**Loki POV**

Loki let out a sigh and fixed Tony with an annoyed look. "Stark if you are not going to accept that what I do is magic then I suggest getting someone else to record my abilities. Other wises I shall walk out of this room and refuse to answer anymore questions."

For the last two hour Loki had been stuck in a room getting poked at by doctors and answering questions about what all he could do. The poking was so that they could get a full medical profile on her while the questions were just so the team would know what he could do.

"There's no such thing as magic no matter what you say. This is most likely a form of manipulation or something." Tony waved off.

Loki was almost ready to cast a spell on Tony that would lead to a very embarrassing moment when Steve entered. "At last someone who isn't Stark."

Steve gave Loki a confused look before turning an annoyed one on Tony. "What have you done now?"

"Hey I'm innocent!" Tony told him.

"He's been wasting my time by refusing to accept that what I do is in fact magic. I have half a mind to turn him into a mouse for the next three days." Loki told Steve. "May I have someone else record my abilities before I strangle him."

Steve sighed. "Always good to see you making friends Tony. Loki why don't you go, think a break from questioning will do you some good."

"I shall find Mara. She mentioned wanting to introduce me to something called Anime." Loki stood.

"She give any titles?" Tony asked.

Loki frowned in thought. "There were a few. But one she really seemed to want to show me was Ghost In The Shell. I believe there's a live action movie coming out and she wants me to be ready for it when the time comes. Whatever that means." Loki then left the room, taking a breath and some of the stress he'd built up started to leave him.

' _How a man like Stark has not been killed off yet I shall truly never know. He is too clever and annoying for his own good._ '

"Ready for an anime marathon?" Mara asked as she grabbed Loki's arm and started to drag him to the elevator. "I've got it all planned out. First off we'll start with a classic like Pokemon, then slowly we will move up the ladder until we are in the more hardcore stuff. I'll leave things like henti out of the mix but give you some places where you can watch that stuff on your own,"

As Mara ranted on about her anime plan for Loki Loki could only keep up with her feet and try, in vain to keep up with her rant. He had no idea what henti, yaoi, or yuri was, why anything with tentacles in it was considered pron whatever porn was, and just what in the realms is a weeaboo and otaku and why would he want to be one?

"And then after a while we'll get you into gaming! I know you'll love the strategy games, most likely you'll rule at those."

' _I have a feeling I am going to be very confused for the next few days. Oh well, least I'll learn somethings from all this and at the same time it makes Mara happy and keeps her from harm._ '

"Oh I can't believe I almost left out the magical girl genre! We so have to have a card captors marathon in there some where."

Loki frowned. ' _Magical girl? Why does that not sound good?_ '

As Loki learned later that night Magical girl meant girls in brightly colored outfits that showed off too much skin saving the world while some how never being found out by those around him. And if he ever hears anyone quoting one of those girls' catch phrased he is going to find the ones behind such things and make them pay for it.


	17. Loki's seeing green

"And this is why you don't google without the filter on." Mara sighed at the now slightly traumatized Loki who was still staring in horror at the closed laptop on the desk in front of him.

"How could anyone create such an abomination and unleash it upon the world?" He asked as he shut his eyes, though they opened right away as he clearly could still see what he had just seen.

Mara laughed a little. "Like with any place there are some twisted minds out there. Just don't ever allow yourself to get drawn into the Deep Web. If you thought what you just saw was bad you truly don't want to see what lays in the Deep Web."

"I fail to see how anything could be worst then that!" Loki pushed the laptop away from him.

Mara figured she'd wait a while before showing him the youtube videos about the horrors people have found on there. "Come on. Let's see what's going on in the tower." She pulled him to his feet and headed for the elevator. It had been pretty quiet in the city the last week and Mara was sure that was about to come to an end.

"I would rather not." Loki sighed.

"So you would rather sit and try, in vain not to think about what you just saw on the internet?" Mara could almost see the exact moment Loki realized that she was right.

"Who did you have in mind?"

Mara laughed and pushed him into the elevator, deciding to take him to Tony first.

*.*

"Mentally scarred by the internet huh? Yeah, that's gonna happen a lot until you learn the key words to watch out for." Tony nodded after hearing why they were in his lab.

"So what ya up to?" Mara asked, noticing Loki's eyes carefully moving over everything around them. He was taking it all in and seemed to find some things that impressed him a little.

"Just some suit upgrades. Nothing big. More killing time till something interesting happens." Tony shrugged.

Mara went to say something but ended up jumping when something touched her leg. Turning around she found a small bot looking up at her making chirping sounds and spinning it's mechanical hand.

"Dummi, we've talked about scaring guess." Tony chuckled. "Sorry bout him. He's just never seen you before."

"I heard about your babies from Clint. But I didn't think they could be this cute." Mara smiled and patted Dummi's arm, which he seemed to like if the sounds he made and the way he moved the arm closer to her was anything to go by.

"You made that?" Loki asked.

"Yeah, long time ago. Before Jarvis actually." Tony nodded.

"You gave metal life? Here on Midgard without any outside aid?" Loki seemed to not believe it.

Tony shrugged. "It's just programming and knowing what to wire to what."

The look on Loki's face almost made Mara laughed. He looked like he couldn't believe that Tony was brushing off something that, to him was amazing.

"Mine if I leave Loki with you for a bit? I think he could learn a fair bit about technology from you." Mara asked.

"Sure. I'll show him some things. Might even give him something to play with for a while."

"Thanks Tony." Mara then turned to Loki. "I've got some papers I need to drop off at school."

"But isn't it not a school day?" Loki asked in confusion.

"For college girls like me the teacher expects you to hand in your work at anytime before the due date. They have a mail box for the days they don't have classes. I'm just gonna run over to the school, drop my work off in the box and then come right back. Maybe I'll grab some of those donuts we both like along the way." Mara explained.

Loki sighed but nodded. He understood that schooling was important and knew her campus wasn't that far away.

"Great. I'll be back in a few hours, give or take traffic." She gave Loki a kiss on the cheek before running off to get her bag and the paper she needed.

*.*

Mara smiled as she let the envelope with her paper drop into the little chute. At last she was free from that cursed thing. Writing reports on anything that she didn't like was not her strong suit and she had cut it close to the due date with this one. But now it was over and done with. She was free now to spend her time how she wanted to.

"Always feels so good to get rid of shit like that." She smiled as she left the campus, passing other students that were heading to class, going home, or like her dropping off their work.

"Hey Mara."

Mara turned and found Tyler, the most popular guy on campus jogging up to her. Mara never saw what made him so special. Sure he's a nice guy but when asked most people say it's his looks. He was built somewhere between Steve and Thor's builds and could be labeled just as good looking as them. But Mara didn't like that kind of built. She liked guys she could get her arms around. Guys like Tyler weren't like that at all.

"Hi Tyler. Something you need?" She asked him. He'd never been mean to her so Mara always tried to be polite to him.

"Thought maybe we could go for coffee." Tyler said with that winning smile of his.

"Sorry Tyler but I promised someone I would be home before too long." This wasn't the first time he'd asked her. In fact since he became popular Tyler had been trying to ask her out damn near the start of college.

"Oh? Are you with someone already?" He asked her.

"No, not quite. But I sort of left them with a mad man and I want to be sure they aren't doing something crazy." For some reason the worst Mara could picture Tony and Loki doing was having a robot fight in the living room after building life size robots. Though she was sure they could do worst things if left on their own for too long.

Tyler raised a brow at that. "Well, could I at least walk with you part way? Heard you're living at the Avengers tower now. How'd you manage that?"

Mara was at a lost of how to explain it. After all no one had known about baby Loki outside her and the Avengers. And she wasn't about to tell people that she was living with Loki at the tower now that he's back to his normal self. "I'm not sure?" She said, struggling to think of a good reason.

Tyler smiled. "You know what, doesn't matter. It's just really cool that you get to live with a bunch of heroes."

Mara nodded. "I guess, though at the tower they aren't all the special. Just normal people like everyone else. More or less."

"Come on, I'll walk ya." Tyler nodded in the direction she had been walking.

"Oh I have to make a stop. Promised I'd bring donuts home." Mara said as she turned and started walking again.

"Great. We can grab a coffee along the way."

Coffee for you maybe, I'm a tea drinker." Mara corrected him.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

**Loki's POV**

Loki had no idea what was taking Mara so long. By right she should've been back an hour ago and yet here he was still with Stark, listening as the man told him about car engines while cleaning one that was on the table between them. Had Mara gotten into another fight? Was she laying hurt somewhere in the city? Had one of his former allies found out about her and sought to use her against him?

Loki gave himself a mental shake to get rid of those thoughts. Things had been peaceful for so long and as far as he knew no one he use to be allied with had any grudges against him. ' _She must be held up in traffic. When next I go to Asgard I shall find a means to make travel easier for her. What could be taking her so long?_ " He was half tempted to demand that Stark take him to her school so that he could look for her.

"Sorry that took so long." Mara said as she finally entered the lab. "You wouldn't believe the line I had to wait in."

Loki was out of his chair and standing before her in an instance. "At last you have returned. I was," Loki stopped when he noticed an odd smell about her. "What's that smell?"

Mara frowned before sniffing at her shirt. "Oh! That must be Tyler's body spray. The subway was packed so we were pushed up against each other."

"Tyler? Who is Tyler?" Loki was trying not to become angry with her. After all she was still getting to know the real him and thus they weren't together yet.

"He's this guy at school. Popular with everyone from school staff to other students." Mara answered as she walked around him and set the donuts down on one of the many work benches.

"Is he now?" Loki asked. "And what was he doing with you?"

"He wanted to walk with me and talk about stuff. No big deal." She answered as she picked out a donut and started eating it.

' _No big deal?! He had his body pressed up against her for who knows how long and she claims it's no big deal!? You are mine Mara! No else may have you._ ' "Perhaps I should meet him." Loki said instead of the many things running through his head. Most of them were way to torture Tyler until he would no long go near Mara, even to save his life.

"Oh that's so not happening. Bad enough everyone at school knows I'm living in this tower now. No I don't need word spreading that I've got an alien prince living with me as well. No offense Loki, but I want some normality in my life."

Loki let out a huff. He would find out just who this Tyler is and he would make sure that Mara never saw him again.

"Oh shoot!" Mara cried as she got some jelly from her donut on her shirt.

"That's gonna stain. Best go deal with that now." Stark commented.

"Right. I'll be right back." Mara then rushed out the door, leaving Loki once again alone with Stark.

"Jealous much?" Stark asked Loki as he walked over to the donuts and took one for himself.

"I don't know what you are talking about." Loki said, though it was slightly forced as, when Mara passed him he could once more smell Tyler's body spray.

Stark fixed him with a knowing look. "Don't try that with me. I know for a fact that you want to know exactly who Tyler is so you can make him leave Mara for yourself."

Loki tried to think of something to say against this but sighed. "Am I so obvious?"

Stark just turned to one of the many screens. "Friday, bring up everything you can on guys named Tyler at Mara's school. Look for the common traits of popular students."

The screen before Stark lit up and a file appeared on it. The picture was of a well built young man, possibly around Mara's age with short brown hair and hazel eyes. His skin was lightly tanned and the only flaw that Loki could see was a scar around the base of his neck.

"Tyler Lucas Avila. Lives just off campus, good income from the looks of things, and no living family." Stark read off.

"No one to miss him for too long." Loki noted.

"You're not really gonna kill him. Mara wouldn't approve of that." Stark pointed out.

"True. But like with animals should he threaten my claim I shall fight for her." Loki then gave Stark a smile. "And who's to say my hand might not slip? I am capable of making mistakes from time to time."

Stark shook his head. "All you've got to go on that he's 'threatening' your claim on Mar is that he pressed up against her in a packed subways and that he walked and talked with her. Doesn't sound like a threat to me." Stark said as he walked back over to his seat.

"He all but marked her with his scent while on that subway!" Loki pointed out.

"Body spray Lokes. Body spray. One wash and the stuff comes right off." Stark waved off.

"He is still one I shall watch out for." Loki growled. He had gone through many plans for his escape from Asgard if the Allfather refused to let him go back to Midgard with Mara should any attempts at making deals with the Allfather fail. Loki was not one to take chances.

Stark sighed. "I'll make you a hidden camera you can hide on Mar so that you can see just what Tyler there does when he's around her."

"That would be helpful." Loki nodded. He would find proof that this man was trying to take Mara from him, and then he would act quickly before Mara could notice. With luck, he can stage it all so perfectly that Mara will never know it was him.


	18. How to stop a relationship threat without being caught

Loki was up to something. That much Mara was sure of. And he kept asking her where'd she go, who she was with, who she spoke to. While a little cute it was starting to wear on her. She got it that Loki cared deeply about her. Hell the guy had pretty much admitted to loving her. But it was like he didn't trust her. But on the plus side he did give her this really cool necklace that she was pretty sure Tony helped him find. It was almost a choker, which was nice as she didn't like overly long chains but also hated having things closely wrapped around her neck. It was simple yet elegant without going over board. Something she could wear every day and not feel under dressed for it.

"You're up to something. And I will find out what it is." Mara told Loki.

He gave her an innocent smile. "I've no idea what you mean. How can I be up to something when I am rarely out of your sight?"

Mara narrowed her eyes. "Watch it Loki. I will only give you so much room to fuck up before a punishment must be given." She then turned and walked away. While she could watch Loki for hours she still needed to get her school work done. On top of that some of the girls from her class had invited her to a study night at a nearby pizzeria. Mara needed to get in as much studying as possible before her up coming test. She just hoped whatever Loki was doing it could stay hidden just long enough for her to pass the test.

*.*

"Thanks for invited me girls. I've had a lot on my plate the past week and haven't had much of a chance to study." Mara greeted the girls as she sat down at their booth.

"No problem Mara." Alexa waved off.

For almost two hours the girls sat at their booth eating pizza, drinking soda and studying. But that couldn't last.

"So what's this I heard about you going out with Tyler?" One girl, Sara asked Mara.

Mara rolled her eyes, thinking of Loki and his question. "Okay let's get this straight. I did not go out with Tyler. He asked me out I turned him down. He then asked to walk me part way back home and along the way I had to get donuts so he grabbed a coffee while we were there. That's it."

"You turned down the hottest and coolest guy on campus? Why?" Asked Lily.

"You are so dating an Avenger, aren't you?" Asked Leah.

"What? No! God those guys are old enough to be my father. I'm not dating anyone." Though she was trying to get to know Loki and try to make things work with him. Did that count as dating? And he was now an Avenger. So maybe she was sort of dating one?

"Mara, you living with them and you aren't dating anyone that we know of. So either you are dating someone or you're playing hard to get." Stacy said with that knowing smile of her's.

"I'm not dating and I'm not playing hard to get!" Mara growled.

"Hi Mara."

Mara's head snapped around and she wasn't sure if she wanted to die or simply run out of the pizzeria, cause there was Tyler along with some guys from the football team. "Tyler?" Mara was sure that whatever actual gods were out there hated her right now.

"Fancy meeting you here. Girls study night huh?" He asked as he nodded to the books and the girls around Mara.

"Yeah. What about you?"

"Well as team captain I thought I would treat the guys to dinner for all their hard work. But please, don't let us intrude." Tyler flashed Mara that smile of his and walked with the team to a booth right across the room from the one Mara was in.

"Girl you are crazy not to take that man up on his offer." Alexa told her.

"Can we please just go back to studying?" Mara begged. For some reason she felt like Loki was near by and glaring, though who at she had no idea. "Did you know Tyler was gonna be here?" Mara asked Leah.

Leah gave a sly smile. "I may have heard something on twitter about Tyler bringing them here."

' _Mental note kill Leah later._ '

////////////////////////////////////////////////////

**Loki's POV**

It had been a week since Loki had given Mara the hidden camera Stark had made for him and so far he had seen no trace of Tyler. He was starting to think that maybe he really did have nothing to worry about with Tyler. That he'd been foolish to think any man could threaten his claim. At least until he checked the camera feed that night. It was a live feed from where ever Mara had gone to study with her friends and there was Tyler along with some other men giving Mara those looks.

Loki saw red and started to storm to the elevator when he was stopped by Stark.

"Skipping out on the rest of the movie? Didn't think you were that bored." Stark commented.

"He is with Mara again." Loki growled.

Stark stared blankly at him before he seemed to remember. "Oh! That Tyler guy. So what are you gonna do? Go to where Mara is and drag her back here?"

"If I must!" Loki turned to leave but Stark turned him back around.

"And what are you gonna say when she asks why you are there? That you were spying on her and didn't like the guy that happened to be where she was?"

Loki went to say something before realizing that Stark was right. He couldn't do anything without letting Mara know that he had been watching her the whole time. "Damn. What am I suppose to do then?"

Stark appeared thoughtful then went a got the tablet. "Let's hear what was being said." He then backed the footage to a certain point and the two watched and listen. Listened as Mara told her friends that she wasn't seeing anyone. "Seems the girls are trying to get her with him. But Mar's not going for it."

That was at least true. Mara was trying to get her group to focus on their studies rather then the men sitting at the table with Tyler as well as Tyler. But Loki had seen good girls like Mara be lured in by men like Tyler before. "I must do something to make him leave her alone."

Stark appeared thoughtful. "You know, most guys get intimidated by us Avenger men. Maybe if we show up there and place and order, talk to Mar and the girls for a bit it might make Tyler a little iffy about talking to her again. Cause after all, if she's got our attention what could he do that we couldn't?"

"That is actually not a bad plan Stark." Loki liked how simple it was and, as long as he didn't slip up she would have no reason to suspect that anything was wrong.

*.*

When they entered Loki noticed that Tyler was getting up and had his eyes locked on Mara. It took so much self control not to strike him right then and there. Taking a breath however Loki schooled his face to appear slightly surprised and called out to Mara.

"Mara, I did not expect you to be here."

Mara, and all the women at her table turned to look at him. "Oh? Loki, Tony. What are you two doing here?"

Loki smiled at her. "Stark suggested we get pizza and we thought to try this place."

"Yep that's right. After all having delivery all the time can get old. Nice to sit in the place and eat it while it's fresh out the oven." Stark nodded. "Lokes why don't you get us a table while I order." Stark then walked over to the count.

Loki walked over to Mara, taking a careful look at Tyler and almost smirking when he noticed that Tyler had sat back down. "I hope your studies are going well."

"Bout as well as they can. But I think I'll do well on the up coming test." Mara sighed.

"Maybe later I could help you run through some of your notes and question you on things that might be on the test."

Mara smiled at him. "That might help. Thanks Loki."

"It's my pleasure."

"Mara, aren't you going to introduce us to this hottie?" Asked the one behind Mara being at the same place as Tyler.

Mara sighed and rolled her eyes. "Girls this is Loki. Loki this is Leah, Lily, and Alexa."

"Hi." The trio said, clearly trying to flirt with Loki.

"How nice to meet some of Mara's friends at last." Loki gave the girls a polite smile.

"So Loki, maybe you can tell us what Mara does at the Avengers tower?" Leah asked.

"Yeah, we've been trying to figure it out for a while now. Is she training to join them or something?"Alexa asked.

Loki chuckled. "Now there's an idea. But no. I fear I can not tell you what Mara is doing at the tower as I've only just come to live there myself recently. You'll have to wait until Mara herself tells you." He enjoyed the look of disappointment on their faces. "Now then I best get that table Stark asked me to get. I will speak with you later Mara." Loki then turned and took a seat at the empty table in the corner. The one with a perfect view of Tyler and Mara, but more to the point Loki took the seat that would ensure that Mara would see him every time she looked up from her work and food. ' _Make your next move Tyler. For you shall never have Mara._ '


	19. Gone out for dinner

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait with this chapter. I've been battling the flu and am still working through it at this time. Be that as it may I hope all of you enjoy this chapter.

"Well? Are you going to tell me how you did on the test?" Loki asked when Mara finally got back from school.

Mara let out a heavy sigh, doing everything in her power to hold back any sign of joy.

"You must be joking. After all the time you put into studying and everything I did to help you you still did not get a passing grade?" Loki asked in disbelief.

"I got the," Mara began. "highest grade." She gave Loki a smirk.

He stared at her for a moment before laughing. "You are the first to trick me so easily with such a simple method."

Mara chuckled and hugged him. "Thank you for all your help with studying Loki. I couldn't have done it without you."

"Perhaps, however I think you would've found a way." He told her before pulling back slightly and giving her a smile. "After all doing the impossible seems to be what you do best."

That got Mara to laugh. "Oh, seems Tony peeked at my results before I got back here. He wants all of us to go out and celebrate my high score like I'm some freshman in high school or something. I said okay because I figured I earned a little spoiling after putting so much effort into studies. And though I told him not to make it too fancy Tony has booked one of the top places in the city. So we need to dress right for it."

"My magic can take care of that." Loki offered.

"Not for me. Sorry Loki, as much as I'm sure you'd love to play dress up with me I have a little number in my closet that I have been saving up for the right moment and I think tonight is it."

Loki sighed. "As you wish Mara. I won't force you into wearing something you don't want to."

Mara gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you Loki. I knew you would understand." She then took his hand and started to pull him to the couch. "Now come on. Let's play some games till it's time to get ready."

*.*

When Tony texted her and told her that they had one hour till they had to leave Mara sent Loki off to his room to get ready and then went to her's. While Loki could use his magic to take care of his clothes Mara didn't want him peeking into her room or anything while she was getting ready. She also pointed out that they both should wash up before going out.

With a shower out of the way and her hair dried as best she could get it without it going all poofy on her Mara pulled out one of the two dresses she owned. It was a black dress that came down just below her knees with a slit up both sides. The slits stopped mid way up her thighs, giving plenty of room for movement without looking trashy. There was a green band around the waist that she felt made her waist seem smaller and added a nice little pop of color. There were no sleeves so Mara looked for something to keep her warm if the temperature dropped. She found a gold shaw that she could wrap around her arms and shoulders.

Slipping the shaw around her Mara let out a little giggle. "Oh god. These are Loki's colors." She then twisted and turned before the mirror with a smile. "Wonder what he'll say when he sees me in them?" She then threw her phone into her clutch and left her room.

Loki was waiting for her in the living room, dressed in a black suit and looking amazing. She was sure that people who saw him, and didn't know who he was would think him a model or something. Mara almost laughed as she remembered how a woman from an escort serves had tried to offer him a job that one night she took him out to a nightclub. She'd joked that night about how he was "old enough to drink legally" and since he wasn't from Earth he needed to try a nightclub at least once. That had been a fun night.

"As always you look amazing Loki." Mara called as she crossed the room. She noticed the way his eyes widen a little when he saw her, taking in her appearance from head to toe a few times.

"As do you Mara." She almost missed what he said as it had been almost whispered.

Mara smiled and blushed a little. "I've had this dress for the last few months but never had a reason to wear it. Anyway, we best get going. Everyone's waiting on the ground floor and I don't want Tony texting me about being late or anything." She then took his hand and headed for the elevator.

"Ah Stark. In many ways he is more a child then I was when we first meet." Loki joked, enjoying the way Mara laughed.

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**Loki's POV**

Loki had been surprised when Mara had appeared in his colors. They looked lovely on her and the dress was flattering on her. The fact that she wore his colors made him wonder if she was ready to move their relationship along. He would question her on this later. For now they were both seated at a table looking over menus along with the rest of the group.

Loki would hand it to Stark his taste in places to eat were excellent and, were it not for everyone else at the table Loki would find the whole setting very romantic for him and Mara. He would have to see about getting Stark to set up a reservation for him at a later date so that he and Mara could have some alone time here.

"I have no idea what any of this is." Loki commented with a sigh.

"That makes two of us." Mara told him. "Half of it seems to be French and I've no idea what to make of the other parts."

"I could order for the both of you." Stark offered with a smile.

"No." Both Loki and Mara said at the same time.

Mara sighed and set her menu down. "Okay. I saw salmon on the menu and that's what I'll order."

"I believe then that I too shall have that." Loki set his menu down and took a drink of the wine Tony had ordered for everyone. While not as good as the wine on Asgard Loki would admit it wasn't all that bad. After all Mara seemed to like it.

When the waiter came by they all gave their orders before falling into light conversation. Loki for his part stayed quite, as he had little idea what most of the conversations seemed to be about. He joined in whenever something came up that he knew about and could express his opinion on. And when the food came it turned out not so bad.

As the night wore on Loki noticed that Mara was drinking a fair bit more wine then she should. He let this go for a while as she was celebrating her high grade. But after a while she clearly was intoxicated. So when the bottle came around to refill everyone's glass Loki was quick to act.

"Mara I do believe you've had plenty. Perhaps you should drink some water for now." He suggested and waved the waiter away.

"I've not have that mush. Bring the bottle back." Mara said with a doopy smile. Her eyes slightly unfocused as she looked for the waiter.

Loki smiled, recalling the first time Thor had gotten like this. H knew it was best to tread carefully or else risk making a scene. "Of course. How silly of me. I just thought you would like some water after going to so long without. But if you don't want any I guess I'll have your's then for you."

Mara turned to him. "Here now! It's my water and I'm gonna drinky it."

Loki did his best to keep his victory off his face. "As you wish."

The waiter returned and set a glass of water before Mara, which she snatched up, spilling a quarter of it before downing it.

Loki laughed. "Perhaps the next one you'll drink a little more slowly." He ordered another one for her.

"You look like you'd be a good drink." Mara told him.

Loki frowned. "What?" He almost jumped when Mara's hand appeared in his lap, just below his crotch.

"Can I drink from your tap next?" She asked. It was clear she'd tried for flirty but it came out all wrong.

Loki had to swallow a few times to get his throat to woke. "Mara," He began as he took hold of her wrist. "we are in public and you are drunk. I'm sure tomorrow this will be very humiliating for you."

"No I not. You is dunk." Mara told him.

"Everything alright over there?" Steve asked.

Clearly the rest of the group had noticed Mara's behavior as they were all looking at the two of them.

"I fear Mara has had a little too much wine." Loki explained, once more removing Mara's wandering hand from his lap.

"Nah uh! More wine!" Mara shouted.

Stark chuckled. "Alright then. If everyone's done let's pay the bill and get our drunk home and in bed. And to think I'm the sober one."

It took some work and Loki had to get help from the others but they got Mara into the car and back in the tower. Though Loki was kind of happy with the passionate kiss Mara had given him as they were leaving. Even if he had to fish her hands out of the back of his pants. And it did take a while to get Mara to stay in bed once put in it. But with Mara now sleeping soundly Loki couldn't help but chuckle at this new side of Mara. She'd never had more then one bottle of alcohol while he was a tiny baby and she'd only ever drank one glass of the wine that stark had given her the day he and a few of the Avengers had shown up at her place. So he'd never known how she got drunk. Turns out she'd very grabby and in some ways affectionate.

"Will you be okay alone with her?" Steve asked as everyone was leaving Mara and Loki's shared floor.

Loki nodded. "If she wakes and starts to wander again I'll use a small sleep spell to get her back to bed."

"Alright then. Goodnight Loki." Steve said as he left.

Loki sighed and took a seat in one of the chairs. He felt a little drained from dealing with Mara but not enough to sleep right that moment. So he turned on the tv and watched a random movie he found on one of the channels. Something about a man trying to stop some people who'd taken over a building his former wife works at during Christmas. It was an action movie from what he could gather and while it was interesting in some ways Loki wasn't paying too much attention to it. Just something to pass the time until he was ready for bed himself.


End file.
